Recipe First
At the end of Food Allergy and Celiac Disease Awareness Month this May, I was thrilled to chat with Benji Koltai, co-founder and CEO of Galley.
On this episode, Benji brings his personal journey with Crohn’s disease and gluten intolerance, pairing it with his tech expertise to revolutionize food safety from the inside out. We dive deep into what “recipe first, people always” truly means—exploring how a digital recipe system transforms food safety, allergen awareness, and food waste in kitchens from hotels to college dining.
Benji shares how Galley empowers foodservice teams—reducing food waste, streamlining operations, and making dining safer for everyone with dietary needs. Listen in to discover powerful stories from clients, the real numbers behind food waste savings, and how a single source of culinary truth can change the guest experience and bottom line. Benji’s insights on technology, transparency, and compassion are game changers!
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Benji Koltai
Co-Founder, CEO
Benji Koltai is the co-founder and CEO of Galley Solutions, where he leverages his background as a software engineer to modernize the foodservice industry with smart, recipe-first technology.
Diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in college, Benji spent years struggling to manage his health, ultimately undergoing surgery after starting his tech career in Silicon Valley. A turning point came when his now-wife introduced him to a gluten-free diet, dramatically improving his symptoms and deepening his appreciation for the connection between food and well-being.
This experience led him to join Sprig, the first full-stack delivery-only restaurant, offering healthy, allergen-aware meals before UberEats or DoorDash existed. There, he saw how outdated foodservice tech held back transparency and efficiency.
Motivated to fix this, Benji founded Galley to solve meaningful problems in food operations: streamlining workflows, reducing waste, and improving conditions for kitchen teams. He believes thoughtful software and strong culture are key to transforming the future of food.
