I hired a private chef for my 9-person AI startup — it was cheaper than our $13,500+ a month food delivery habit

Series CEO Nathaneo Johnson, their private chef Hayley, and other team members. Courtesy of Nathaneo Johnson

CEO Nathaneo Johnson hired a private chef to cut costs and improve productivity at his AI startup.

The chef earns a high-five-figure salary and cooks three daily meals at the New York office.

Johnson cut other roles that didn't fit the small team's needs, such as chief of staff.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nathaneo Johnson, 22, who co-founded Series , an AI-powered social network, and is based in New York. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I knew my startup had a problem when our food budget hit over $13,500 a month.

Before the end of last year, most of that money was spent on DoorDash. Paying for the team's meals is a super important part of moving fast for us.…