# Joe Ariel

> Joe Ariel is the founder and CEO of Goldbelly, the e-commerce marketplace that ships iconic regional dishes from more than 1,000 restaurants and food makers to doorsteps across the United States. A serial entrepreneur who previously led Eats.com and Delivery.com, Ariel built Goldbelly out of a simple frustration - the best food in America rarely leaves the town where it is made. In 2026 he was named Official Food Curator of America's 250th anniversary, leading the 'Taste of America250' program and a national storytelling project to define the canon of American cuisine.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Goldbelly
- **Organizations:** Goldbelly, America250 (Official Food Curator), Eats.com, Delivery.com
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in Economics, Vanderbilt University
- **Known for:** Founded Goldbelly, creating the category for shipping iconic regional food nationwide, Built a marketplace connecting 1,000+ restaurants and food makers with customers in all 50 states, Accepted into Y Combinator (2013)

## Career timeline

- **early career** — Held an early-career role with the New York Knicks
- **2000s** — Founded and led Eats.com, later acquired by Delivery.com; served as CEO of Delivery.com
- **2013** — Founded Goldbely (later Goldbelly) and was accepted into Y Combinator
- **2013** — Time magazine named Goldbely one of the 50 Best Websites of 2013
- **2018** — Rebranded from Goldbely to Goldbelly, raised $20M Series B led by Enlightened Hospitality Investments; Danny Meyer joined the advisory board
- **2021** — Raised $100M Series C (total funding reported around $133M); launched the Local Legends Fund to help restore restaurants
- **2026** — Named Official Food Curator of America's 250th anniversary; launched Taste of America250 and the '250 Dishes That Made America' storytelling project

## Achievements

- Founded Goldbelly, creating the category for shipping iconic regional food nationwide
- Built a marketplace connecting 1,000+ restaurants and food makers with customers in all 50 states
- Accepted into Y Combinator (2013)
- Goldbely named one of Time's 50 Best Websites of 2013
- Raised roughly $133M in total funding, including a $100M Series C in 2021
- Recruited restaurateur Danny Meyer to Goldbelly's advisory board
- Launched the Local Legends Fund to help restore 100+ shuttered restaurants
- Appointed Official Food Curator of America's 250th anniversary in 2026

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — America250 and Goldbelly launched Taste of America250, the official food program of the nation's 250th anniversary, with Ariel named Official Food Curator leading the '250 Dishes That Made America' project.
- **2026-03** — Ariel began publishing '250 Dishes That Made America' on Substack, gathering chefs, writers and cultural voices to define a canon of American cuisine.
- **2026-07** — Goldbelly prepared to unveil America's Official 250th Birthday Cake and an America250 storefront ahead of July 4, 2026, alongside the first-ever Official State Dish Registry.

## Links

- Website: https://goldbelly.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeariel
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/joeariel
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLj8rJJDG2w
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joesbelly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Goldbely

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/joe-ariel
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-16