Food Futures

TRAINING COURSE

Food Futures is a free training and employability programme, using food to help people build skills, confidence and pathways into work. Through kitchen training, hospitality experience and food business support, we help people learn practical skills and explore opportunities in food, catering and self-employment in a supportive community environment.

The Level 1 Foundation is a one-week intensive course designed to support people who are interested in exploring a pathway into food, catering or hospitality, especially those who may want to start their own food business in the future. On this course you’ll build confidence in the kitchen while learning practical cooking and food business skills in a supportive environment at Coexist Community Kitchen. 

You will learn:

• Kitchen basics and professional kitchen techniques

• Food hygiene, safety, allergens and dietary requirements

• Knife skills, recipe development and menu planning

• Menu pricing, invoicing and taking payment

• Customer service and communication skills

• Legal steps involved in starting a food business

• Branding and developing your own food concept

• Plus a trip to visit a local food market

You will also be supported to complete a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate through a mixture of home study and classroom support.

Helping people build futures in food

Food Futures is designed for people who may face extra barriers to work or training, including people on low incomes, people experiencing poor mental or physical health, carers, neurodivergent people, people experiencing isolation, and people seeking asylum or with refugee experience.

As a non-profit community cookery school, we believe nourishment means more than food. It also means helping people feel confident, connected, supported and able to move towards meaningful opportunities, training and employment.

Applying for our Summer 2026 Food Futures Level 1 Course

10th-14th August 2026

Our next course will take place over 5 consecutive days, starting on Monday 10th August and finishing on Friday 14th August.

This course is open to people who are seeking asylum, have refugee status, or have recent experience of the asylum or refugee system in the UK — including people who now have the right to work but may still face barriers to employment or training.

You do not need any professional cooking experience to apply — just a willingness to learn and take part. Please only apply if you are available to attend all five days of the course.

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WHO IS IT FOR?

APPLICATION FORM

Applications close on Friday 3rd July.