2021 is upon us - will this be the year you take the leap?

Got a great idea for a food business brewing in your head that can't wait any longer? Are you just thinking, screw it, if not now then when? Or are you just beginning to come round to the idea of doing something new and you love food so starting to explore a little? Enrol in KERB Classroom to step into the New Year educated, equipped and energised to move your idea forward! 


WELCOME

Welcome to KERB Classroom - a fresh online course that will help take your food business idea out of your head and into 2021. Over 8 weeks we will distill the invaluable lessons of 8 years spent working with food startups, from the kerb up.  

What makes some use the kerb as a springboard into multi-site success while leaving others unable to move beyond a single gazebo? What makes one dish attract accolades and crowds week after week whilst others kick their heels from behind the stall, wondering what they're doing wrong?

We have worked with over 300 independent food businesses, observing the likes of Bleecker, Bao, Pizza Pilgrims and Club Mexicana soar and transform the food landscape of London from just one compelling idea in their heads, just like you may have right now.  Making a commitment to starting is the first step towards making your idea real - KERB Classroom will show you the way.


HOW IT WORKS

Each week we will dive into a different section of business - from Vision to Ops, Product to Pitching - helping to tease your idea out of your head and into the world! Each week will include:

  • KERB Classroom lessons
  • Insider case studies
  • Expert-led videos
  • Recorded commentary from us
  • Night Class (live on Mondays, or stream anytime after)


Approx time commitment each week = 3 hours. Learning is flexible and can be done whenever and wherever suits you!

All content, once released, is yours to keep.





KERB CLASSROOM IS FOR YOU IF

You love food, have a great idea, dream of making a business out of it and are ready to learn the ins and outs. There’s nothing more exciting than having an idea and being on the precipice of making the jump - this is for those who are looking for some straight talking, expert and creative insight while you do it.

ABOUT US

KERB launched in 2012 with the aim of making London taste better. Our goal was to serve expertly made dishes to food lovers on the streets of London, all while creating trading opportunities for our growing crew of KERBanists. We have been running all day immersive workshops since 2012 and our inKERBator programme since 2013. On top of lunch markets and events, we have built a large corporate catering arm and opened a food hall, Seven Dials Market, in 2019.

COURSE CURRICULUM

  • 1

    Welcome to KERB Classroom

    • Welcome!

    • KERB Classroom: Course Summary
  • 2

    Vision Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 1: Defining your USP

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Zan Kaufman - Bleecker

    • ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Your business idea in a nutshell - let's go!

    • NIGHT CLASS: Delving into your ideas - 18th January, 6.30pm-8pm (with guest Thom Elliot of Pizza Pilgrims)
  • 3

    Product Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 2: Creating a hero dish

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Tom Browne - Decatur

    • ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: The menu and hero dish you're dreaming up - we want to know!

    • NIGHT CLASS: Dissecting your dishes - 25th January, 6.30pm-8pm (with guest Tom Bickers of Truffle)
  • 4

    Business Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 3: The ins and outs of business finances (Fun Version)

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Maria & Jon Knowles - Makatcha

    • ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Pricing your dish

    • NIGHT CLASS: AAAA (Ask An Accountant Anything!) - 1st February, 6.30pm-8pm (with street food accounting legend, Robert Machin)
  • 5

    Brand Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 4: Designing and building your brand

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Lungi Mhlanga - Treats Club

    • ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Brands critique

    • NIGHT CLASS: Creating Your Launch Campaign - 8th February, 6.30pm-8pm (with guest Liz Nguyen of Eat Chay)
  • 6

    Operations Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 5: Nuts, Bolts & Logistics

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Joel Bowen - Oh My Dog!

    • KERB ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Assessing the equipment you *really* need to run your business

    • NIGHT CLASS: Tech Tips - 15th February, 6.30pm-8pm
  • 7

    People Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 6: People are the main ingredient in your business (but don't eat them)

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Siew Yen Chong - Learning & Development

    • KERB ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: What kind of team do you want? What kind of culture do you want to create? Let's get into it

    • NIGHT CLASS: Let's talk about service - 22nd February, 6.30pm-8pm
  • 8

    Sustainability Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 7: Being a future facing business is good business

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Lily Bovey - GROUND

    • KERB ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Sustainable Film Night

    • NIGHT CLASS: Biggest Little Film Club - 1st March, 6.30pm-8pm
  • 9

    Trading Week

    • INTRODUCTION

    • LESSON 8: How to pitch for a pitch

    • EXPERT INSIGHT: Meriel Armitage - Club Mexicana

    • I'M LAUNCHING THIS THING! Checklist

    • KERB ROUND-UP

    • HOMEWORK: Pitch Your Business!

    • NIGHT CLASS: Ready to launch? 8th March, 6.30pm-8pm

KERB CLASSROOM EXPERTS

KERB Founder

Petra Barran - Course Leader

Leading KERB Classroom is KERB founder, Petra Barran. Street food trader 2005-2011 via Jimmy, the choc-mobile. KERB followed in 2012 and some pretty heady accolades - from being named one of the 'Ten People Who Changed the World' by The Independent, and 'Barran has changed the face of British cuisine' by The Sunday Times. Get ready for some straight-talking and engaging commentary from Petra as we go through the course.

Bleecker

Zan Kaufman

Moved from NYC to LDN, bringing the burger knowledge of America with her. Her drive to make the best burger in Lond.. Engl... THE WORLD is hard to match. In recent years, Zan has turned her attention not only to perfecting the burger, but to a progressive and inclusive company culture. She is one of our favourite street-soothsayers and she packs no punches. Her favourite question to be asked: "What are angry fries?"

Makatcha

Maria & Jon Knowles

Jon & Maria were actually retired when their daughter took them to Street Feast back in the day. The lure of running their own business again was too much, so they dived back into business and started Makatcha in Broadway Market Schoolyard. Six years later and they are one of the top festival traders in the country and have had fixed sites in both Bang Bang Oriental in Colindale and Camden Market.

Decatur

Tom Browne

A Newcastle United fan who grew up in Nottingham and cooks the best Louisiana dishes in London? You betcha. After falling in love with New Orleans, he threw himself deep into the food culture of the city and has grown the largest collection of spices, rubs and mixes in the UK. The man truly knows his product and cuts no corners on authenticity and taste. Check his Instagram every Sunday at 6pm sharp to try and nab a shrimp boil - and get ready for some real pearls on Week 2.

Treats Club

Lungi Mhlanga

KERB Workshop and Prince's Trust alum, Lungi launched Treats Club back in 2018, selling donuts online. Since then she's opened her donut shack in Netil Market (fearlessly, in a pandemic) and has recently expanded to her second outlet at our very own Seven Dials Market. This woman does not mess around. Check out her website to buy a tub of boys tears, or at least to see what they actually are!

Oh My Dog!

Joel Bowen

Hotdog Jedi, owner of multiple fryers and a futurist when it comes to how machines will be able to cook hotdogs for you. Joel is an absolute fountain of knowledge on the operations of getting something from raw ingredients, cooking it and then into your hands in the most efficient way possible.

Learning & Development Expert

Siew Yen Chong

One of the earliest team members at LEON, helping them shape the culture of their business, Yen has moved on to help the likes of BAO, Chefs in Schools & E5 Bakehouse develop their company cultures. We are delighted to have her join us and impart vital insight on the most important part of your business: your team.

GROUND

Lily Bovey

Lily is a boss, started up with STAKEhaus in 2015, then HENhaus and GREENhaus in 2018/19. Her newest business GROUND is upping the game for sustainable British meat and taking her product off the kerb and into the supermarket. She will be dropping knowledge, both practical and future facing on the course.

Club Mexicana

Meriel Armitage

Meriel founded Club Mexicana in 2014, sick to death of lentils, chickpeas and whatever other vegan food was like back then. Coming from a career in branding, she has revolutionised vegan food in London and built a powerful, known brand, with the impact she's made getting her voted 'Timeout's #2 most influential Londoner' behind Idris Elba. She is a visionary and a force.

CLASS IS FULL

Join the waitlist and we'll keep you posted when registration begins for the next KERB Classroom