When Brisbane’s Angela Hirst took the first tentative steps to establish her own catering and coaching business several years ago, she had oodles of passion and plenty of promise but little understanding of how to convert her lightbulb idea into a successful enterprise. It’s a predicament that’s familiar to many, and one that Angela is now aiming to squash with the launch of her business, Wandering Cooks. As Brisbane’s first incubator for food start-ups, the company aims to provide new food businesses with the resources, skills and guidance they need to make clever strategic decisions and achieve their goals.

An old warehouse has been given the beauty treatment by architect Mathew Aitchison and interior designer Kasia Jarosz, to now house three licensed commercial kitchens, numerous prep/finish bays, and cold and dry storage, which are all available for lease by the hour. But of course as every businessperson knows, it’s not only the physical inventory that makes a company a success, but also the support and guidance one receives when the road gets rough and the crossroads get tangled.

Wandering Cooks founder Angela and operations manager Jo Shaw aim to combat this problem by weaving together a supportive community of like-minded foodies and compatible businesses, such as vegan dessert makers Equal Measures and Meet Sweets, and Blackmarket Mittens cold-pressed coffee. The incubator will not only connect cooks to distributors, lease office facilities and share financial and marketing advice, but also host events such as night markets and trade exhibits in the near future. The atmosphere of collaboration and consultation aims to nurture local up-and-coming businesses and help shape and strengthen the future of the Brisbane food industry.

Wandering Cooks
1 Fish Lane, South Brisbane
Ph: 07 3844 6000
Bookings essential