Former Postal Express owner Steve Bergan has moved a lot of packages through Kirkland over the years.

But the young and restless entrepreneur delivered his biggest package yet to the city’s backyard last year – a new company.

Wanting to venture out and do his own thing, the motivated 28-year-old combined his background in delivery and took over Zone Seattle last April and converted it to Chef by Request, which delivers gourmet Zone Diet® inspired meals to clients across the state.

And since he moved his Seattle headquarters to Kirkland a month later, Bergan’s company has taken off.

“Since we moved our headquarters to Kirkland is when our real growth happened,” said Bergan, a 2002 University of Washington graduate with an accounting degree. “So it’s definitely a Kirkland success story.”

Chef by Request, which has doubled in size to 30 employees since moving to Kirkland, appeals to one of its biggest Eastside clientèle – Microsoft Corp. employees.

Before he converted the concept, Bergan says the original company was set up “rigidly,” with a “one-size-fits-all” menu. The new Chef by Request concept allows customers the flexibility to order up to three meals and two snacks daily, or to scale the program to fit their needs. Menus are tailored to the Zone Diet® – or 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent favorable fat – as well as gluten free and Paleo diets.

“The Zone concept is great,” says Bergan, “but there’s a lot more to health, wellness and weight loss than just Zone. Especially when you talk to other industry leaders, it makes more sense to be more flexible there.”

Chef Patrick Fagan creates two menus daily that clients can order from. Portion meals and snacks are delivered fresh to people’s doorstep every night in a thermally insulated cooler bag with freezer packs.

So far, the biggest challenge for Bergan has been informing the public that the company provides more than just healthy food.

“What you’re getting with us is a huge education on how to eat,” said Bergan, noting that nutritionists are on hand to speak with clients about their needs and help them figure out their meal plans.

Client reaction on the Eastside so far has been “awesome,” added Bergan, a black belt in karate who is passionate about health and wellness.

Chef by Request has taken its local success and recently opened up the market in Oregon and California.

“We’re corporately owned here, but we’re taking a very Seattle, Pacific Northwest vibe to it,” he said. “It’s doing well in both those markets and we hope to keep expanding it and taking it nationally.”

For more information about Chef by Request, visit or call 206-340-4102.