Our Story

As a dad to four boys, every morning is a hustle.

Lost shoes, wild hair, and impromptu wrestling matches is the norm in our house. Different school schedules on top of the chaos means getting a hot breakfast on the table used to feel like a military operation. Either I had to cook in waves or my boys ate cold food, neither of which I wanted to settle for.

I tried everything, but the food would always end up lukewarm for somebody—all the while I was sipping from my insulated coffee mug that stayed hot until lunch. Why, I wondered, wasn’t there something like that for our food?

That same question came when hosting, a passion of ours for the last 20 years. From block parties to team dinners, my wife and I have made it our goal to serve food that makes people feel welcomed and cared for. But racing (and failing) to keep 15 burgers hot off the grill? Not the part we enjoyed, and for that matter, not the part our guests enjoyed either.

My brother-in-law Collin saw it too. Between the spills in the car, dishes that couldn’t stack, and temperature swings that made homemade meals feel like leftovers, bringing food to their kids’ school events was always a juggling act. Not to mention, burning hot containers and open flames under buffet chafers were a nightmare around little fingers.

The Idea Was Simple: Serve Food the Way It Was Meant to Be

Collin and I co-founded Host Modern to help people serve hot, delicious food without the stress we were experiencing. We got to work, listening closely to what hosts like you want: not just heat retention, but convenience, elegance, and ease. We obsessed over every detail—shape, size, materials, even stackability —until we landed on a design that delivered on all fronts.

The response on Kickstarter was beyond anything we imagined. It told us we’d come across a simple solution to a problem that frustrated hosts, and it gave us the momentum to bring Host Modern to life.

A Better Way to Serve

Our insulated dish does more than keep food hot or cold. It creates space for connection. For stories shared between bites, for second helpings that are just as delicious as the first. With its sleek, sophisticated design, it’s as beautiful on the table as it is practical on the go.

The truth is, once you host with an insulated dish there’s no going back. My family uses it daily, and our hectic mornings and stressed grill-outs are gone for good.

When I think about what inspired me as a kid, it was always the people who made others feel at home by hosting with intention, warmth, and generosity. That’s the spirit behind Host Modern. We’re here to help you create those same memories by allowing you to be fully present and engaged— without sacrificing the quality or presentation of a nourishing meal.

Gabe Coyne

Gabe Coyne, along with his wife and four sons, sees hosting as a valuable investment in communities. In addition to his other entrepreneurial efforts including design studios, tech startups, and coffee shops, Gabe is also CEO and co-founder of Stix Golf, a Chicago-based company offering modern, high-performance golf clubs.

Collin Duff

Collin Duff lives in Illinois with his wife and four kids and frequently hosts and attends events for his children's homeschool co-op. Driven by a passion for high-quality, minimalist golf gear, Collin also serves as the Head of Operations and co-founder of Stix Golf.