The KickStart Kitchen offers free professional chef training and networking services to those currently facing a barrier to employment.

The course consists of 18 classes over 8 weeks. Then, working with restaurant / hotel catering company owners and managers, we will create unique work placements, all designed to produce entry level trainee chefs from all walks of life, notably those living in Direct Provision, exiting homelessness services, early school leavers, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and immigrants.

The aim is to create new careers for those eager to get going, while helping alleviate the recruitment struggles currently facing our hospitality sector.

Our Head Chef Ciaran Crawford (from the SCOOP Art Cookbooks back in the day) has created an innovative and genius curriculum that gets anyone and everyone ready for entry level positions in top kitchens.

***PROJECT UPDATE***

In July 2025, we began the pilot course for the KickStart Kitchen and it’s absolutely flying! We took 6 trainees who are currently living in Direct Provision and they have begun learning the essentials from our Chef – Ciaran Crawford – who after 25 years working as a head chef in Dublin and other parts of the world is imparting all types of culinary wisdom and the group have become really tight bunch, it’s been amazing to watch!

The course runs through to August and culminates with a special pop up restaurant event in the Spade Shared Kitchen Space on Wednesday the 27th of August. Tickets are limited to 15 places so if you’re interested click here.

Beyond the pilot we are working hard to raise the funds for another 2 month module taking place in October & November. If you would like to contribute to this you can do so here: https://www.spacehive.com/kickstartkitchen

And lastly one for the diary…. a No Reserve Art Auction of 100+ artworks taking place in The Market Bar on Fade St in Dublin on Sunday the 12th of October.