WASHINGTON 鈥� Nothing cures a case of the sniffles like a bowl of homemade chicken soup. But chopping carrots and simmering stock is the last thing most people want to do when they鈥檙e feeling under the weather.
That鈥檚 where Valerie Zweig and Taryn Pellicone can help. The two cousins are the founding forces behind , a D.C.-based soup delivery company that鈥檚 on a mission to cure colds 鈥� and spirits 鈥� one slurp at a time.
After coming down with laryngitis twice in six weeks 鈥� and making a desperate, handwritten plea to the bar below her apartment for some hot broth 鈥� Zweig realized there was a business opportunity for on-demand soup.
鈥淐hicken soup really cures everything, so whether you鈥檙e having a bad day or you鈥檙e sick, or you鈥檙e stressed or homesick 鈥� there鈥檚 really nothing like chicken soup,鈥� said Zweig, a former hospitality consultant who鈥檚 been making soup since she can remember. 聽
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just the most inherent comfort food, and I think everyone has a connection.鈥�
Since launching last fall, Prescription Chicken has delivered about 15,000 quarts of soup throughout D.C., ranging from the company鈥檚 signature 鈥淕randma Style鈥� recipe, to the popular and spicy 鈥淗angover鈥� soup (because you don鈥檛 have to have a runny nose to be in need of a cure-all meal).
There鈥檚 also the option for bone broth, chickenless soup, Thai coconut dumpling soup, and 鈥渇aux鈥� pho 鈥� all of which Zweig, Pellicone and a small culinary team produce out of D.C.鈥檚 food incubator, Mess Hall.
Here鈥檚 how it works: Diners pull up Prescription Chicken鈥檚 website and are guided through menu options based on their symptoms (sick, stressed, hung over) before being directed to order the soup from one of the company鈥檚 delivery partners, including UberEATS, GrubHub and DoorDash.聽
鈥淲e will do anything we can to get soup to people, so we鈥檝e picked up essentially every single delivery partner that鈥檚 out there,鈥� Pellicone said.
Add-ons such as Ginger Ale, crackers and juice from Misfit Juicery are also available, as are gift packages for sick friends and new parents.
There鈥檚 no denying some months of the year are better than others for business, and with cold and flu season on the horizon, Zweig and Pellicone are gearing up to get their soup to as many people as possible. This fall, they鈥檙e expanding delivery service to areas in Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland.
Prescription Chicken also plans to open a stall in Baltimore鈥檚 Cross Street Market this fall, as well as a location in Philadelphia next summer.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to bring chicken soup to the world 鈥� or at least the East Coast,鈥� Zweig said.
So the next time you鈥檙e sick, skip the cloudy, cold medicine-induced walk to the grocery store. Homemade soup is just a click away.
