Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

from Fugitive Chefs · host Furqan Meerza

In this episode, Furqan speaks with Dylan McDonnell — founder & CEO of Foodini, an AI-powered platform fixing one of the most overlooked problems in restaurants: ingredient transparency.Diagnosed with celiac disease at age 10, Dylan spent years navigating a dining world that wasn’t built for people like him.Instead of accepting it, he turned that frustration into a company now helping restaurants, stadiums, and foodservice groups protect diners, reduce mistakes, and unlock new revenue.We talk about:• Why allergens and intolerances are a massive market restaurants still ignore• The hidden operational costs of “I think it’s gluten-free”• How Foodini uses AI + dietitians to map every ingredient in every dish• What new regulations in the US and EU mean for the future of menus• Why diners are demanding personalization — and how restaurants can adapt• The truth about food allergies, tech fear, and the rising “food as medicine” movement• How chefs can turn personal struggles into actual food innovationThis is a conversation about lived experience → innovation, the future of personalized dining, and how technology can make the food system safer without replacing humans.🎧 Fugitive Chefs is your window into alternative culinary careers and bold food innovation. New episodes every Tuesday.👉 Follow, rate us on Spotify, subscribe & comment on YouTube, and share with someone who dreams of cooking differently.🎙 Hosted by Furqan from the Fugitive Chefs Podcast📸 Furqan’s Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/4dtiyTv🎧 Podcast Instagram: ⁠https://bit.ly/43ndATO🎵 Spotify: ⁠https://spoti.fi/3F6j25A🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://apple.co/43vBtbT🔗 Connect with DylanFoodini: https://foodini.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mcdonnell/

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Nov 25, 2025

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Celiac to CEO: How Dylan McDonnell Built Foodini to Fix Dining for Millions

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