Welcome to the Dishtory Table

Nothing tells a family’s history like the food they share and the dishes they prepare together. That’s why life-long Toledoans Chris Kozak and Dan Zawisza are launching a new app called Dishtory. Dishtory allows users to record, save and share family members’ recipes in their own voice, so they can create, plate and curate home-cooked creations with the people who matter most. The app is available for download free of charge via Google Play or the App Store.

“We were motivated by a love of food and family to create this recipe recording app, giving anyone the opportunity to bring their family cookbook to life,” said Kozak. “There’s a stark difference between plain-old sugar cookies and Mom’s “World-Famous” Sugar Cookies. The Dishtory app captures the personality and nuance that is inherent in special dishes to replicate those memorable, meaningful family meals.”

Dishtory’s easy-to-use interface allows users of all ages and life stages to quickly navigate and create audio recipes for posterity without any complicated instructions or tutorials. Unlike written recipe cards, the audio heirlooms cooked up on Dishtory exist in perpetuity, can be shared instantaneously and bring the voice of a distant, departed or disconnected loved one to life.

The inspiration for the Dishtory app started with a conversation between Dan Zawisza and his mother. Looking to share the cookies he remembered from his youth with his own family, Zawisza wanted to get her cookie recipe for himself. After a game of phone tag, she called him back and left a voicemail describing just how she used to make the cookies—that’s when the concept of Dishtory was born.

“After listening to the voicemail, I thought to myself, I will have this recipe now for the rest of my life and in my mom’s voice,” said Zawisza. “I just thought that was something really cool and wanted to give everyone the ability to share the same experience.”

Additionally, Chris Kozak has his own relationship to the launch of Dishtory. With family roots in the restaurant business, he and his wife were always asking his mom for recipes. Kozak realized there was an easier way—give everyone the ability to record and save recipes—from a delicious dish at a backyard cookout to recipes that have been passed down through generations.

“With smartphone technology, we saw an opportunity for innovation and a way to keep treasured family recipes in hand at all times,” said Kozak. “That’s why we specifically designed the app with only three buttons – record, review and save, creating a user-friendly layout that is accessible for all.”

Dishtory gives users the ability to preserve family memories through a safe, sincere and enjoyable experience; it delivers the stories, subtleties and sentimentalities behind each dish, as told by the primary source; and it transports you to your grandma's house, ensuring the family culture and legacy live on in future generations' kitchens.