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One of the nation’s best food festivals is back this weekend in San Francisco after a five-year absence.
La Cocina Street Food Festival in China Basin celebrates the 20th anniversary of the food incubator that launched in the Mission District in 2005.
More than 25 businesses that came out of La Cocina will be offering meals, including Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, which specializes in fried chicken.
« La Cocina helped me with every aspect of learning the business, from starting with a vision board to designing a business plan, recipe development and teaching me how to operate in a commercial kitchen », said Minnie Bell’s founder Fernay McPherson.
The hard work paid off. Minnie Bell’s was recently named as one of the nation’s 20 top new restaurants by Bon Appétit magazine.
McPherson was a Muni driver with a passion for cooking when he reached out to La Cocina for guidance.
La Cocina’s cautious approach has proved successful; 70% of the food businesses that went through the program were still open 10 years later.
Compare that to the overall survival rate for restaurants, where 80% close within five years.
« It’s like easy to forget that it wasn’t like they just didn’t open that restaurant and get the award. They’ve had all these years of cooking, prepping, selling, working in a shared kitchen, doing catering jobs and hustling for years to grow your brand », said Leticia Landa, La Cocina’s executive director.
