Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

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Fugitive Chefs

Furqan Meerza

39 episodes

1 week ago

I’m Furqan Meerza — a chef who worked in some of the world’s top kitchens, including Mugaritz and Noma. Like a lot of chefs, I hit burnout. And I realized I needed a different way to stay connected to food — one that didn’t cost me my health or identity. Fugitive Chefs is a podcast for chefs and food creatives who still love this craft, but need change. Each episode features honest conversations with those who’ve stepped away from the traditional kitchen and into something new — from fermentation and R&D to storytelling, drinks, food culture, and more.

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All content for Fugitive Chefs is the property of Furqan Meerza and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

Fugitive Chefs

46 minutes 9 seconds

3 days ago

Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

In this episode, Furqan speaks with Dylan McDonnell — founder & CEO of Foodini, an AI-powered platform fixing one of the most overlooked problems in restaurants: ingredient transparency.

Diagnosed with celiac disease at age 10, Dylan spent years navigating a dining world that wasn’t built for people like him.
Instead of accepting it, he turned that frustration into a company now helping restaurants, stadiums, and foodservice groups protect diners, reduce mistakes, and unlock new revenue.

We talk about:
• Why allergens and intolerances are a massive market restaurants still ignore• The hidden operational costs of “I think it’s gluten-free”• How Foodini uses AI + dietitians to map every ingredient in every dish• What new regulations in the US and EU mean for the future of menus• Why diners are demanding personalization — and how restaurants can adapt• The truth about food allergies, tech fear, and the rising “food as medicine” movement• How chefs can turn personal struggles into actual food innovation

This is a conversation about lived experience → innovation, the future of personalized dining, and how technology can make the food system safer without replacing humans.

🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.
👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently.
🎙 Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast
📸 Furqan’s Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv🎧 Podcast Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/43ndATO🎵 Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://apple.co/43vBtbT

🔗 Connect with DylanFoodini: https://foodini.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mcdonnell/