While January was 87 days long, February seems to be running by in a jiffy. As things start to warm up here at My Swiss Story, I am thrilled to return with our most cherished series on the platform—a place where we highlight the stories and achievements of women entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders. These stories have consistently touched our hearts and inspired many to take that bold leap of faith.
This month, I am excited to introduce our Entrepreneur of February, Sacha Thorey. Sacha made the courageous transition from a corporate career into building a unique food business, Allcook Kitchen, delivering high-quality, restaurant-grade meals that are both healthy and delicious, all wrapped in innovative compostable packaging and delivered weekly. In this interview, she shares her inspiring journey of passion, perseverance, and purpose.
Whether you’re seeking motivation to follow your dreams or practical tips on balancing work and life, Sacha’s story is sure to resonate and remind you that with heart and determination, anything is possible.
Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself
I’m Sacha Thorey, co-founder and marketing lead of Allcook Kitchen, a healthy food delivery service based in Switzerland. Together with my husband, Benoit Thorey, our chef de cuisine originally from France, we’ve built a family enterprise that brings nutritious, delicious meals to our community. Switzerland has become our cherished home, and we’re passionate about sharing the joy of wholesome eating.
I have a deep love for world cuisines and healthy nutrition, and I firmly believe that healthy eating becomes a lasting habit when it’s paired with genuine taste enjoyment. That philosophy is at the heart of everything we do at Allcook Kitchen.
Tell us about your current business. What are you doing exactly?
At Allcook Kitchen, we’re redefining healthy eating by delivering high-quality, restaurant-grade meals that are as nourishing as they are delicious. Our innovative service makes enjoying wholesome food effortless and exciting. Each week, we curate a diverse menu with over 20 thoughtfully crafted dishes — from complete meals and comforting soups to flavorful proteins, vibrant sides, and indulgent desserts.
What sets us apart is our commitment to sustainability and freshness. Our chefs create every dish using fresh, seasonal ingredients, sourced with care, and we deliver across Switzerland and Liechtenstein in chilled boxes to guarantee optimal taste and quality. Our eco-friendly, compostable vacuum sachets make warming and serving simple, allowing our customers to savor every bite while supporting a healthier planet.
At Allcook Kitchen, we believe that healthy eating should be a joyful journey, and we’re honored to make that experience accessible and convenient
Tell us your story, how did you come up with this idea?
Before starting Allcook Kitchen, my husband Benoit and I saw a gap in the market: chef-cooked meals at home were a luxury for the wealthy, with private cooks out of reach for most households. We were determined to change that. Inspired by our passion for great food and healthy living, we envisioned a direct-to-consumer subscription model, combined with vacuum-packing technology to lock in freshness and flavor. That vision became Allcook Kitchen — a way to bring healthy, chef-prepared meals conveniently to homes across Switzerland.
The journey here, however, was anything but straightforward. I built my career in marketing and sales at food giants like Nestlé and Unilever, eventually landing a global position in Switzerland. The idea of entrepreneurship was distant, locked away behind the thick bars of a “golden cage.”
That changed when I experienced a major burnout — a mix of self-induced anxiety and poor leadership. There’s never just one reason, right? I resigned, giving up half our family income, and tried to figure out what to do next. Then COVID hit. My husband, a chef de cuisine in premium event catering, lost his job, and suddenly we were two professionals with two kids and a mortgage in the middle of a global crisis. We had to act fast.
I used some savings, researched business models, and adapted an idea to fit Swiss culture. I found two co-founders in digital media and web development, and within four months, our first prototype was ready. We tested it with 35 relatives and friends of friends. During the first nine months, we learned that about half of our assumptions were wrong. We pivoted constantly and came close to giving up after 15 months when our treasury was empty. But we raised seed capital and reached break-even in two years.
Now, four years in, we generate profit and have the highest loyalty — measured in annual customer value — on the market, four to five times higher than the competition. With this encouraging result, our next challenge is to scale, consolidate the team, and drive sustainable growth.
Running a business here has been incredibly rewarding. Switzerland’s deep appreciation for quality and sustainability resonated with our mission, though we faced challenges, particularly in introducing an innovative food model to a traditionally conservative market. Interestingly, it was the expatriate community that embraced us first, and slowly but surely, Swiss customers followed.
We’ve since developed an ecologically optimized chilled food chain solution, using compostable vacuum sachets, reusable and returnable ice blocks, and delivery boxes. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from our customers — like one simple but powerful review that said, “Thank you for existing” — keeps us motivated every day. Knowing we’re meeting a genuine need and making healthy eating accessible is what drives us forward.
What is so Unique about your business?
There’s nothing new in the idea that repeat food purchases are driven by taste, enjoyment, and recommendations. What sets Allcook Kitchen apart is how we use high-end culinary technology and apply it to everyday meals, creating a dining experience that feels both luxurious and effortless.
So, what do we do? We cook ingredients to perfection — slightly undercooking them to account for the time customers take to warm up their dishes at home. Rapid cooling not only ensures food safety but also preserves the ideal texture. This means chicken stays juicy, vegetables remain crisp, fish is delicately translucent, and prawns have a satisfying, tender bite.
Our meals are packed and delivered in vacuum-sealed sachets, which are exceptional at preserving taste, texture, freshness, and the chef’s craftsmanship. A key advantage of this method is that we don’t ship air, making it an ecologically responsible choice that reduces waste and carbon footprint.
We take care to deliver an authentic culinary experience with every dish. For example, in a Thai curry, the chicken and sauce are packed separately from the rice, allowing customers to assemble the dish themselves, just as it would be served fresh, preserving its true taste and texture. This thoughtful attention to detail makes each meal from Allcook Kitchen feel special, convenient, and delightfully satisfying.
What is a day like “in your heels?”
A day in my heels is a dynamic blend of creativity, collaboration, and passion for delivering exceptional food experiences. My typical day involves working closely with our culinary team and external partners to plan upcoming menus, ensuring that each dish reflects the season’s freshest ingredients and flavors. I coordinate with local suppliers to source high-quality produce and strategize innovative marketing initiatives to reach more customers and grow our community.
A crucial part of my routine is engaging with our customers to gather feedback, which is invaluable for continuous improvement. Listening to their experiences helps us fine-tune our offerings and stay true to our mission of making healthy eating a joyful and accessible habit.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this journey is the incredible people we meet along the way — professionals who share our passion for taste and health. We are fortunate to collaborate with experts like practicing micro-nutritionist Aurelia, Lebanese chef and restaurateur Toni, Indian chef Edwin, and, of course, our Italian culinary masters Juliette and Danny. Their dedication and artistry inspire us daily and remind us that food is not just nourishment; it’s a celebration of culture, flavor, and community.
Would you like to give any specific advice to fellow entrepreneurs?
My advice to fellow women entrepreneurs is to leverage your unique perspectives and experiences to drive innovation in your ventures. Being an expat woman can present challenges, such as navigating different cultural expectations and building a network in a new country. However, it also offers the advantage of bringing diverse insights and approaches to the business landscape.
Embrace these differences, seek out supportive communities, and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. If you decide to launch your concept, remember that many startup support organizations exist in each canton. If you have a unique idea or technology — especially one emerging from a Swiss university — it can open many doors. If you don’t, the journey may be more difficult, but that’s where surrounding yourself with professionals who share your values and vision becomes essential. Persevere, stay true to your mission, and the rewards will follow.
Did Sacha’s story resonate with you? Would you like to try out AllCook Kitchen?
Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn or browse her Website.
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We are constantly looking for women with fascinating stories and experiences; those who are passionate enough to make a difference, those who have built successful businesses, those who have paved the path for others, and those who have taken actions to overcome adversities.