Instagram Wannabe for Chefs and 'Foodies,' Morsel Raises $800K

Morsel — an app that aims to give "food enthusiasts access to photos and stories from their favorite chefs" — has somehow managed to raise $800,000 writes ChicagoInno. The round of funding included an investment from GrubHub CEO Matt Maloney. Venture Beat describes the app as a "social community for food enthusiasts and chefs who can create and share information on dishes, preparations, and where to find it," — in other words, things food enthusiasts can already do on social media.

The app also allows users to post photographs of dishes and then "guides users through the process of creating content" (whatever that means). It then helps them share their photo on their personal social media channels. Founder Kris Petersen tells Venture Beat that "the whole idea [behind the app] is to share insights. This is a way for the food creators to explain themselves, and to get your own voice out there too."

The amount of money Morsel has managed to raise is shocking considering that the app doesn't really appear to differ from popular social media channels like Instagram and Twitter. Regardless, the Chicago-based app has managed to convince some major local talent — like chef Paul Kahan (Blackbird, Avec) and food photographer Jeff Scott — to become early users. So far, the app — which is only available for the iPhone — has had around 1,000 downloads from the iTunes store.