Randall Mardus, Founder and CEO of Giusto
What do you like better: a surprise assortment of dishes, or a special sequence of courses, curated just for you? The new app Giusto may help you answer that question – and help you enjoy this holiday season of food. Founded by Davidson graduate Randall Mardus (‘99), and recently unveiled on the mobile App Store, Giusto touts itself as “The Food Profile Standard,” allowing you to list your food and drink preferences in a comprehensive dining profile that you can share with others.
Mardus previously worked as a cook for New York City Chef Michael White and helped open the restaurant Marea, an Italian seafood restaurant that has since won three stars from the New York Times and two Michelin stars. These experiences inspired him to start Giusto. “Lots of people had food issues,” he said of his former experience, “and we didn’t deal well. So [Giusto] is a way for both parties to communicate better. We threw away a lot, but this saves money, food, and time for preparation.”
Giusto means “just right” in Italian, and the label fittingly speaks to the application’s impressive organization. The application’s main functions involve differentiating between three categories of “Cannot Have,” “Yes, please!” and “No, thanks.” Mardus views the application as a “third party,” taking away the awkwardness of communicating dietary preferences or allergies between guests and hosts.
The system currently includes a list of over a thousand foods, also separated into three categories of “Ingredients,” “Dishes,” and “Drinks.” You can either search for a particular food to include in your profile, or scroll through the lists alphabetically and categorize each of the foods into “Cannot Have,” “Yes, please!” or “No, thanks.” As the application develops more, it will help “a much larger percentage of the population that has special food desires,” Mardus said. “For example, people who shop at Whole Foods, Healthy Home Market…who like craft beer…who like certain beers at specific times of the year.”
Also conveniently in a group of three is the set of tabs at the bottom of the application screen, showing “Profile,” “Tables,” and “Buds.” Your profile includes your food preferences in addition to your location and your number of dependents. “Buds” works like other social media platforms, where you can send or receive friend requests to access others’ profiles.
Finally, perhaps the most complex and useful feature is “Tables,” which allows you to create a group of members for an event. From there, the app combines your profiles to show what you as a collective table can and cannot have.
The application’s uses extend beyond just dinner parties. Mardus imagines restaurants using Giusto to create meals for special events. “The general manger has your information, and can request your Giusto profile…if you’re coming in on something special like an anniversary, this can make that trip to the restaurant more special,” he said.
While the profile works well if you have particular foods in mind, in particular if you have food allergies that necessitate the “Cannot Have” category, it could be overwhelming for hosts to view the “No, thanks” section, especially if the list is extensive. Yet Mardus believes the big draw is in comparing Giusto to verbally telling a host your dietary preferences. “I don’t think people will remember,” he said. The application is evolving too – coming soon, Mardus mentioned, the Tables algorithm will be adjusted “so that when it comes to likes or dislikes, the host won’t be overwhelmed by a large number of items,” he said. “Instead, we will break down items based on popularity within that particular Table: for instance, 97% like chicken, 78% don’t like my mother’s meatloaf…”
“Just right is how we want people’s meals to be prepared,” Mardus said, “Just right according to their particular palates.” Creating an application that was “just right,” though, involved the help of numerous other entrepreneurs, Davidson students, and Davidson alumni. In July 2014, Sophia Smith (‘16), Giusto’s marketing intern, pitched the app at Queen City Forward’s college entrepreneurship program. In addition, Adah Fitzgerald (‘01) serves as Head of Testing, and Rebecca Rinkevich (‘15) is in charge of marketing and public relations for the application. Meanwhile, Giusto has worked extensively with the Davidson President’s Office and has over twenty mentors, which Mardus proudly mentioned are “half women, and half Davidson graduates.” Working with people from Davidson is especially important, Mardus stressed. “Davidson folks are people who are going to work hard and ask questions, who are going to be a team…and with the Honor Code, you’re working with people you can trust, which is always good.” In many ways, Giusto echoes the Davidson spirit of interdisciplinary work and collaboration. “It’s a constant learning experience,” Mardus said.
And the circles keep expanding. Recently, Mardus heard from someone in Italy who had come across the app. “Food is global,” Mardus reflected. “It speaks to the culture…but we’re going to start small, start local, and see where it takes us.”
After all, at its core, Giusto is about the heart and soul of food. “It makes for better ingredients, either at home or in restaurants,” Mardus said. “A cook’s greatest ingredient is the love he or she puts into a meal. And it’s easier to cook with love when you know what your guests love to eat.”
Learn more about Giusto here or download it for free from the Apple store.
Screen captures courtesy Giusto.