COOK Alliance Opens Applications for New Cohorts to Empower Home Food Entrepreneurs

The COOK Alliance, the leading voice for home food entrepreneurs in the United States, is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for upcoming cohorts on a rolling basis. This initiative follows the groundbreaking 2018 home cooking legislation (AB 626) that established the “Microenterprise Home Kitchen” (MEHKO) permit in California—the first of its kind in the nation, allowing home cooks to sell all types of prepared foods to the public.

As part of their commitment to supporting home food entrepreneurs, the Cook Alliance will be running multiple cohorts over the next year, providing spots and $3,000 grants for 500 participants. Their comprehensive curriculum covers essential topics including:

  • MEHKO regulations

  • Standard operating procedures

  • Personal vs. business finances

  • Menu pricing

  • Brand management

  • Social media and marketing

  • Food photography

  • And much more!

Classes will be conducted virtually, allowing participants to learn at their own pace. Additionally, there will be optional weekly Zoom office hours for any questions or support needed throughout the program.

Anyone who applied for the previous cohort but was not accepted are encouraged to reapply, as your application will still be reviewed.

Please note that COOK Academy is currently accepting applications only from residents of jurisdictions where MEHKOs are legal, including Riverside, San Diego, Alameda, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Imperial, Sierra, Lake, Amador, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Contra Costa, San Benito, Monterey, and Solano Counties, as well as the City of Berkeley.

Join COOK Alliance in empowering the next generation of home food entrepreneurs! For more information and to apply, please visit https://www.cookalliance.org/cookacademy

About the Cook Alliance

The COOK Alliance is a nonprofit working to legitimize and support informal home cooking businesses so that culinary entrepreneurship is accessible to all and particularly empowering for homemakers, caregivers, women, people of color, and immigrants.