We Built Cheftag Because We Were Tired of Wasted Food
Independent restaurants lose hundreds of dollars a year to missed expiration dates — food that gets tossed because no one knew when it was made. We built a tool that makes correct labeling so fast, every kitchen can do it right every time.
See how it works →The Problem Was in Every Kitchen We Walked Into
We kept seeing the same scene: walk-in fridges full of containers with tape on them, dates written in different hands, some with day-of-week only, some with nothing at all.
In the US, FDA Food Code 3-1-2-2 requires time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods to be date marked. In Florida, health inspectors check for it at every routine visit.
But in real kitchens — busy, understaffed, multilingual kitchens — date marking falls off the list. It is not malicious. It is just slow. Masking tape and a Sharpie are the fastest option, so that is what people use.
And that costs money. It costs food. And occasionally, it costs a citation.
We thought: what if labeling was as fast as writing on tape — but as reliable as a printed label? What if you could do it with one hand, between prep tasks, without logging into anything?
So we built Cheftag.
Our Mission
Make date marking so fast and so reliable that every kitchen does it — not because they have to, but because it saves money, reduces waste, and keeps food safe.
We believe:
- →Correct labeling should not require a food safety degree
- →Technology should fit into kitchen workflows, not fight them
- →Independent restaurants deserve the same tools as big chains — at a price that makes sense
What We Stand For
Kitchen-First Design
Every decision starts with: 'Would a cook use this during Friday dinner rush?' If the answer is no, we redesign. If the workflow is faster with a wet hand in a glove, we design for that.
Radical Simplicity
Cheftag does one thing: makes labeling faster and more accurate. We do not try to be a full restaurant OS. We do not add features that get in the way. We make date marking work, and we make it work well.
Honest Pricing
No surprise fees, no feature gating that punishes small kitchens, no 'contact us for pricing' wall. Independent restaurants are our customers, and they should be able to afford what we build.
Built for Real Kitchens
The food safety tool you use should understand your kitchen. Cheftag ships with product presets for common restaurant items, built around FDA and food safety standards used in the US.
The Team
Jonny — Founder
Founder & Product
Jonny is a product builder and restaurant operator who has spent years working at the intersection of independent kitchens and technology. He grew up in and around restaurants and understands the real constraints: fast service, thin margins, multilingual staff, and the daily grind of keeping food safe and moving.
He built Cheftag to solve a problem he kept seeing in kitchens he cared about.
[NEEDS JONNY: Personal detail — what he does when he is not working]
What Happens When You Buy Cheftag
You Get Working Hardware
Every bundle is tested before it ships. If something does not work out of the box, we replace it. No 'send it back and wait 3 weeks' runaround.
You Get Real Support
When you have a question, you talk to us — not a bot. Email, WhatsApp, or scheduled call. We will get you back up and running.
You Get Continuous Updates
Cheftag improves regularly. We add features, fix bugs, and update product presets based on what our customers actually use. You do not pay for a 'pro' version to get fixes we owe you.
You Get a 60-Day Trial
Try it in your kitchen, with your staff, on your real food. If it does not help, you do not pay. Simple.
Want to Talk About Your Kitchen?
We built this for kitchens like yours. Tell us what you are dealing with and we will tell you if Cheftag makes sense for your operation.