Brunch Masters Overview

Unlike traditional culinary incubators, Big Black Brunch focuses exclusively on the concept of pop-up brunch experiences. Our BRUNCH MASTERS restaurant Incubator program offers a supportive environment, mentorship, and resources specifically tailored to the needs of BIPOC chefs, enabling them to test their ideas, learn how to manage staff in a casual dining atmosphere, build a customer base, increase revenue, and gain valuable experience. This program is limited to 20 qualified businesses who go through the application, interview and live cooking demo process.

We prioritize diversity and inclusivity within our incubator program, actively encouraging applications from chefs and culinary entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds. We believe that embracing diverse perspectives and culinary traditions enriches the dining experience and fosters a stronger culinary community.

Restaurant Incubator Objectives

  • Enable Food Entrepreneurs: The BRUNCH MASTERS Restaurant Incubator is a Food Business Training program that offers aspiring minority foodpreneurs affordable casual dining restaurant space and well-equipped kitchen facilities to host a pop-up brunch experience in San Francisco. Twenty applicants will be chosen to participate in the inaugural 2024-25 cohort.

  • Promote Food Education: Using our Individual Development Plans (IDP), we will work with our local food industry partner organizations to address skills gaps and offer business development classes, one-on-one consulting, and farm-to-table nutrition programs to ensure our BlPOC foodpreneurs learn about healthy cooking, menu engineering, sustainable practices, and a diverse range of strategies to market their products, increase profits, and build their unique brand. 

  • Foster Community Connections: The restaurant will serve as a gathering space for individuals from diverse backgrounds to connect, collaborate, and share their appreciation of food from the African Diaspora or inspired by Black chefs, thereby fostering a sense of community and anchor for economic activities. 

  • Support Local Food Initiatives: Participants will be encouraged to actively support local farmers, growers, and food producers by promoting the use of locally sourced ingredients in their brunch menu. Our partners will help facilitate connections between farmers' markets, professional associations, and food-industry related business support organizations.

Ready to take the next step towards owning your own restaurant?

Program Benefits

Casual Dining Restaurant & Kitchen Facility

Our restaurant incubator provides a low-risk way for caterers and chefs to test out or expand their restaurant concept to a wider customer base. Participants will learn the skills required to execute a successful casual dining event.

Brand Exposure

Being part of this program provides valuable visibility for your brand and exposure to potential customers, investors, and industry professionals. Big Black Brunch often brings together influential figures and creates an environment for networking opportunities which often lead to collaborations and partnerships that can propel your business to new heights.

Revenue Rich Menu

Participants will receive extensive menu design and engineering support to attract customers who are seeking visually appealing and interactive dining experiences. Menus will be focused on maximizing profits and sales driven by food industry trends.

Eco-Friendly

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Top Talent

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Press

Big Black Brunch will leverage our social media platforms, local media outlets, and community partners to showcase the success stories and unique offerings of each participant. Media exposure results in valuable press coverage, positive reviews, and enhance your brands' reach.

Eligibility Requirements

Our program is limited to qualified businesses who go through the application, interview, and live-cooking demo process. If you do not qualify for this program, we will refer you to other programs which may better suit your current business status or needs.

Application Process

STEP 1:

Applications will go live on September 3 - 20, 2024 Late submissions will not be honored.

STEP 2:

Culinary talent will be directed to self-schedule oral interviews after submission of a completed application. Only top-scoring candidates will be invited to Step 3, the Live-Cooking Demo.

STEP 3

Applicants will be scheduled to cook one of their special brunch dishes for our guest judges.

STEP 4

Only 20 Applicants will be chosen for the inaugural cohort and their names will be included in an official press release which will be released in the Fall/Winter of 2024.

 FAQs

  • We don’t have a magic formula, but these are things we consider when reviewing applications:

    1. You have an interest and willingness to learn.

    2. You have a clear vision for your business.

    3. You produce a product that is currently popular/has a market and you are ready to scale.

    4. You have an existing customer base or clear target market

    5. You understand business financials and menu costing.

    6. Your business is registered in San Francisco.

    7. You are willing to support and uplift other Chefs in your cohort.

    We believe that entrepreneurs with these qualifications, will be able to succeed and grow.

    Sounds like you? Fill out an application today!

  • Each business that completes their Individual Development Plan goals will be assigned a date to execute their brunch concept. Payouts will simulate a real life restaurant experience where sales and expenses are tracked and participants receive a percentage of the profits as their compensation. This model incentivizes participants to manage costs and maximize profits.

  • We provide a pop-up restaurant facility and a test kitchen. You may bring your own equipment upon approval from program staff.

  • Time commitment is minimal but it varies based on skills, experience and complexity of the brunch menu submitted with the application. Since each Individual Development Plan is unique to the participant some may be ready to execute their concept before others. We will have a few mandatory group activities together which includes Orientation, Visit to Farmer’s Market, and various self-paced online classes or seminars.

    Participants are expected to:

    Attend 3 virtual cohort sessions

    Attend a minimum of 3 online classes

    Attend a minimum of 2 networking events

    Participate in 5 individual coaching sessions