Food Business Training:
Learn & Launch
Training Program | Affordable Kitchen Space | Mentoring
For Refugees, New Migrants, Women & First Nations people
About the Program
Our program teaches you how to operate a commercial food business in Sydney. From navigating legal regulations, tax law and food safety standards, to developing the art of menu planning, pricing, and customer service, you'll gain the skills and confidence to launch, manage, and grow your own food business.
This course is ideal for owners running catering, food trucks, cafes, restaurants, market stalls, or product-based food businesses at an early stage who are serious about commercialising their offering.
What We Offer*
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10 Core Workshops (topics covered below).
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Feedback provided on compulsory fortnightly homework
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4 guided one-on-one strategy sessions
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4 one-hour ask-me-anything sessions
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1 day paid kitchen experience with our catering business, opportunities for more shifts 'staging'
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Commercial Kitchen Access - 1 day free per month during training program
For participants who attend all workshops and complete the homework, we offer:
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12 months subsidised kitchen access ~ $13.50 per hour
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Free food photography session
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Personalised social media session
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Ongoing skill-building workshops with the graduate community
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Eligibility for optional revenue-generating catering opportunities from FoodLab’s network
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*Program offerings are subject to change upon annual reviews.
Upcoming 2025 Program Key Dates
# | Workshop Name | Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OD1 | Open Day - Free For Any Eligible Applicants (Topic: Basic Legals) | Tues 6 May | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab - Register for Free Now |
OD2 | Open Day - Free For Any Eligible Applicants (Topic: Basic Costings) | Thurs 29 May | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab - Register for Free Now |
OD3 | Open Day - Free For Any Eligible Applicants (Topic: Basic Marketing & AI) | Wed 11 June | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab - Register for Free Now |
- | Final Deadline for Applications | Mon 30 June | 5pm | Via Website |
- | All Applicants Notified of Outcome | Wed 16 July | 5pm | Via Email |
1 | Introduction & Business Foundations | Wed 23 July | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
2 | Marketing & AI | Tues 29th July | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
3 | Admin Basics | Tues 12 Aug | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
4 | Kitchen Operations | Tues 26 Aug | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
5 | Menu Design 1 - Composition, Style, Identity | Tues 9 Sep | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
6 | Menu Design 2 - Costing, Pricing, Fine-Tuning | Tues 23 Sep | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
7 | Sales and Social Media | Thurs 9 Oct | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
8 | Legal and Reporting Obligations | Tues 21 Oct | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
9 | Developing Terms and Conditions | Tues 4 Nov | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
10 | Analysing Finances | Tues 18 Nov | 10:30am - 12:30pm | FoodLab Sydney Kitchen |
Eligibility and Entry
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Cost is $250. Payment plans and discounts are available for all to attend.
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Eligible for people from refugee, migrant (within last 10 years), or First Nations backgrounds, or women on Centrelink support.
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Basic English literacy and spoken English ideal.
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Passion, enthusiasm and perseverance to sustain a food business over 3+ years are required to establish a solid business.
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An application to FoodLab using the link below is required before being considered for the program. We encourage applicants to fill out and upload the below business plan template in your application.
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After an initial assessment, our team may follow up with a short interview.
Program Learning Outcomes
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Understand local regulations and compliance in Australia including tax, food safety, labelling requirements, kitchen licensing, leases, and paying employees
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Develop effective menu planning and pricing strategies that maximise profitability while maintaining quality
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Understand operational management, particularly within a kitchen context and workflow
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Build a strong marketing base by understanding your target market, social media, and sales pipeline.
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Create a sustainable business model that includes financial management, administration, and budgeting to ensure long-term profitability.
FoodLab has been my biggest support
to date. It is because of FoodLab that I
keep going, I have had more confidence
and happiness than ever.
​
I am now an independent business woman, starting my own market stall and catering with Malaysian recipes that I learned from my father.
Malar, Founder of Sangee's Kitchen
I run a food business that teaches Australians about African culture and cuisine. Getting to meet others in the food industry who share that passion for food is something I haven’t experienced before.
I’m really excited to finally showcase a brand that I am proud of because I just didn’t have the connections to do it myself."