Kora connects skilled cooks with those who crave the taste and benefits of home-cooked meals.
SF, United States
2019
Foodtech
Lead UX Designer
Background
Kora is a platform that connects skilled home cooks with people seeking homemade meals. Users can either book a cook or become one, with a focus on trust, convenience, and personalized food experiences. I led UX research and design to create a seamless, community-driven service from onboarding to booking.
Problem
There is a growing desire for homemade meals, but many people lack the time, energy, or skills to cook for themselves. Kora wanted to create a platform where passionate cooks could bring the joy of home cooking to others right in their own kitchens.
Process
Understand: I began by gathering requirements from the client to deeply understand the needs and expectations of both hosts and cooks. This helped frame the problem space and align the team on key user groups.
Define: Through research and synthesis, I identified user goals, pain points, and motivations. These insights led to the creation of detailed personas that guided our design decisions.
Ideate: I facilitated brainstorming sessions using whiteboards and collaborative tools to explore ideas. This allowed us to rapidly sketch and define user flows, focusing on a seamless and intuitive experience.
Design & Test: I created low- and high-fidelity prototypes to visualize and refine our solutions. These were tested through A/B testing and user feedback, ensuring usability and alignment with user needs.
Persona
White board session
Final Product
Host
Create a profile and specify cuisine preferences, dietary needs, allergies, and who they’re cooking for.
Browse nearby cooks, check their profiles and sample menus, then send a booking request.
After confirmation, the cook shares the ingredient list. The host ensures all items are ready for the cook’s visit.
"Having a Kora cook come to my home has completely changed the way I think about meals. It’s so comforting to enjoy fresh, homemade food without the stress of cooking. The process was simple, and everything felt personal and thoughtful. I can’t wait to book again!"
User
Home maker
4.6*
User rating
50%
Optimized onboarding
30%
Repeat booking
Outcome
The platform successfully launched in February 2020 following multiple rounds of user testing and design iteration. The final product offered a seamless experience for both hosts and cooks, validating the concept and addressing real user needs. The design built trust between users, streamlined the booking process, and established a strong foundation for community-driven growth.
Learning
Working on Kora taught me how to design for trust, flexibility, and clarity in service-based platforms. Balancing the needs of two user groups hosts and cooks helped me refine my approach to user-centered design. This project also highlighted the importance of early feedback, cross-functional collaboration, and storytelling in creating meaningful digital experiences.