iCHEF

iCHEF is a Taiwanese technology company that provides an iPad-based Point-of-Sale (POS) system specifically designed for small and medium-sized restaurants. The company was founded in 2012 by Sean Hsu, Ken Chen, and two other partners. The inspiration for iCHEF came from Hsu's own experience running 'Mazendo,' a beef noodle shop in Taipei, where he found existing POS systems to be rigid and unsuitable for the dynamic environment of a restaurant.

The company offers its technology on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription basis. Its core product is an all-in-one app that streamlines restaurant operations, including table and queue management, ordering, customizations, kitchen notifications, billing, and payment processing. The system is designed to be user-friendly and can operate offline for up to 48 hours, syncing data to the cloud once an internet connection is restored. Beyond the POS functionalities, iCHEF provides data analytics tools that deliver insights on sales trends, menu performance, and customer dining habits. The platform also integrates with third-party services, including delivery platforms like Foodpanda and Uber Eats, and mobile payment systems.

iCHEF's first funding round was a seed round in July 2014, securing US$1.5 million. This was followed by a Series A round of US$5.6 million in February 2016, with investors including AppWorks, CDIB Capital, and CTBC Holding. A Series B round of US$5 million was raised in 2021, led by JAFCO Asia. The company has expanded its services beyond Taiwan to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, serving over 8,000 restaurants.

Keywords: restaurant POS, iPad POS, food and beverage technology, restaurant management, point of sale system, table management, data analytics, SaaS, mobile payment integration, menu management, order management, customer relationship management, cloud-based POS, F&B technology, dine-in, takeout management, restaurant operations, inventory management, Taiwan startup, Asia F&B