Dark kitchens have often come under fire for inconsistent food quality and a lack of culinary identity. But a Chicago-based startup is trying to change that narrative. Sizl, a cook-to-order food delivery company, is challenging the ghost kitchen stigma by offering fresh, locally sourced meals with a focus on speed, flavor, and authenticity. The startup just raised $3.5 million in seed funding, bringing its valuation to $12 million.
What sets Sizl apart is its approach to quality and operations. Rather than using shared kitchens or outsourcing food prep, the company runs its own kitchens staffed by a small team of cooks — including Ukrainian chefs and local talent from Chicago. These chefs prepare each meal fresh, aiming to deliver to customers in under 30 minutes. Sizl also handles its own delivery logistics and has developed a mobile app to drive loyalty and engagement.
The startup’s mission resonates with health-conscious customers looking for better alternatives in the fast-casual delivery space. According to co-founder and COO Anastasia Kalinkina, freshness is central to Sizl’s appeal. The company sources many of its ingredients from local producers like Greensys, an organic farm based in Illinois. While it also partners with larger distributors such as Sysco and US Foods, Sizl emphasizes that local sourcing remains a priority.
Unlike the crowded ghost kitchen landscape where virtual brands often try to do too much, Sizl has carved out a niche by spotlighting Eastern European cuisine. The menu, limited to around 60 items, features both familiar and culturally rich dishes — including chicken Kyiv, pierogies, and Kalinkina’s own family recipes like her grandmother’s borscht and traditional syrniki. The team believes that this specialization helps build trust and a consistent experience, something often lacking in delivery-only food concepts.
The founders — Kalinkina, CEO Alex Kolesnikov, Nick Delitski, and CMO Kyrylo Kupin — are all originally from Ukraine and bring prior experience in the dark kitchen space. The group previously built Local Kitchen, a delivery concept that reached $46 million in annual revenue. That experience has informed Sizl’s more focused, quality-driven model.
Part of what makes ghost kitchens unappealing to some is their heavy dependence on third-party platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub — marketplaces now flooded with nearly identical virtual brands. Sizl is listed on those platforms too, but it has invested heavily in its own app to stand out. The app gamifies the ordering experience with digital collectible cards, mini-games, and an in-app currency called “mojis.” Customers earn rewards for orders and logins and get 3% cash back on every order placed through the app.
The startup’s recent funding round was led by Yellow Rocks! with participation from Kinetik and several angel investors, including Mike Alexandrovski, the co-founder of delivery startup Borzo. The new capital will help Sizl expand its footprint in Chicago, where it already operates two kitchens, with plans to launch up to four more this year. The team is also exploring new markets, including Boston, Charlotte, and the Bay Area.
Looking ahead, Sizl is already thinking about its next growth phase. A Series A round is expected later this year or in early 2026, as the company aims to prove that dark kitchens don’t have to mean low quality or mass-produced mediocrity. With a strong focus on culinary heritage, freshness, and engaging customer experiences, Sizl is redefining what a ghost kitchen can be — one pierogi at a time.
