Handwritten
The founding story of Yuppiechef
by
Andrew Smith
Yuppiechef Cofounder
Publicly, as cofounder of Yuppiechef, I smiled for the cameras and spoke of exponential growth. Privately, in my handwritten journals, I wrestled with the fear of failure. This is the story of both.
About the book
In Handwritten, Andrew’s private journal entries reveal unfiltered moments of self-doubt, jubilation, despair and perseverance. Here, for the first time, he tells the hidden story of this remarkable South African start-up.
'Wisdom, insight and heart on every page'
Marina Pape
Yuppiechef community manager 2010-2014
'A way truer story than you're expecting'
Dale Swanson
Yuppiechef team member no. 3
'A thrilling, harrowing ride'
Adrian Dommisse
Lawyer to Yuppiechef 2019-2021
About the author
Andrew Smith
Over the next 16 years, Andrew steered the technical and operational engine of one of South Africa’s most beloved brands - pioneering everything from custom chaos warehousing systems to navigating high-stakes venture capital investments from New York’s Tiger Global Management.
Despite sweeping industry awards, Andrew privately recorded his intense battles with leadership fatigue and anxiety in daily notebooks. After leading Yuppiechef through a successful omnichannel evolution into brick-and-mortar retail and sustained profitability, he exited the business in 2022.
He still lives in Cape Town, where he turned 20 years of daily journal entries into his debut book, Handwritten.