Today you can find La Cocina graduates running successful businesses all over the Bay Area — women just like you.
La Cocina will walk alongside you to make your food business dreams real. Our program provides you with affordable kitchen space, support in getting the right permits, opportunities to sell and grow your business, resources like graphic design, food photography, legal advice and business consulting to realize your dream.
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Attend Orientation
Come and learn how La Cocina works and the basics of what you will need to start a food business. This workshop is free and open to the public, but please register ahead of time. If you are planning to apply to the program, this event is required.
2026 San Francisco Orientations:
February 11, 3pm-5pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
April 8, 6-8 pm at La Cocina on Folsom (2948 Folsom St., San Francisco)
June 10, 3pm-5pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
August 19, 6-8 pm at La Cocina on Folsom (2948 Folsom St., San Francisco)
October 14, 3pm-5pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
December 9, 6-8 pm at La Cocina on Folsom (2948 Folsom St., San Francisco)
You must sign-up to attend an orientation.
Schedule a One-on-One Meeting with an Expert
Sign up to take advantage of a free 1:1 consultation with experienced La Cocina staff members who can answer questions you might have about your food business idea, your business plan, or your application to La Cocina. This is an opportunity to get into some of the more specific business questions you may have. This is free to attend, but slots are limited so sign up early.
NOTE: You can sign up for office hours after attending orientation. A registration link will be sent to confirm your attendance.
2026 San Francisco Office Hours are Tuesdays from 12-5pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco):
January 13 & 27
March 17 & 31
April 14 & 28
May 12 & 26
August 18 & 25
September 8 & 22
October 13 & 27
Showcase at Our Drop-In Market
You will join other aspiring food entrepreneurs at the La Cocina kitchen and have space to sample your product, talk about your business, and connect with small business resources, future customers, and other entrepreneurs. La Cocina will pay you a small reimbursement for food cost to showcase at this event. This is optional but highly suggested for anyone who is interested in applying.
2026 Drop-In Markets:
April 15, 6-8pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
Sept 9, 6-8pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
Submit an Application
In order to apply to the program, you must submit the following:
an application
a completed business plan
your resume
two letters of recommendation for the program
proof of your current income
Application Types:
At La Cocina, we incubate two types of food businesses — prepared foods and packaged food businesses.
Prepared food businesses sell a product directly to the client that is ready to be eaten right away. Examples of prepared food businesses are: farmer's market vendors, food trucks, catering companies, cafes, restaurants, etc.
Packaged food businesses or consumer packaged goods companies (CPG) sell a product to a store or a distributor to sell that good to the end consumer. Essentially, a packaged food business is any business making a product placed in packaging and will ultimately sell at a grocery store. Examples of consumer packaged goods are: pickles, chips, crackers, salsas, etc.
Submission:
Applications can be delivered in-person to our 2948 Folsom Street location or sent as an electronic copy to apply@lacocinasf.org on the application date by 5 PM. Only complete applications will be considered.
2026 Application Review Workshops:
January 7, 4-6pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
May 6, 4-6pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
Oct 7, 4-6pm at La Cocina on Hyde (101 Hyde St., San Francisco)
These workshops are designed to support you with the final steps of filling out your application to La Cocina. Participants should have a fully completed business plan before signing up. In addition, we ask that people only register to attend the application review workshop being hosted directly before the deadline for which you plan to submit an application. Please note that space for this workshop is limited, and only folks who meet La Cocina's low-income qualifications are eligible to attend.
2026 Application Deadlines:
Cohort 2026.01: Applications open December 1, 2025, and close January 16, 2026
The timeline for this application is as follows:
Application Review & Interview Selection: January 30, 2026
Interview Window: February 5-13, 2026
Cohort Decision: February 16, 2026
Onboarding Day: February 24, 2026
Curriculum Start: March 10, 2026
Curriculum End: July 20, 2026
Transitional Interviews: August 17-25, 2026
Cohort Pop-Up: August 31 - September 4, 2026
Cohort 2026.02: applications open May 18 and close May 29, 2026
Cohort 2027.01: applications open October 19 and close October 30, 2026
Download the La Cocina Application Form (ENGLISH)
Descarga el Formulario de Solicitud de La Cocina (ESPAÑOL)