EVENTS AND WORKSHOP
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“First Taste” Serves Up Inspiration and Opportunity as Barking & Dagenham Residents Turns Food Passion into Purpose with SACOMA Foods School expert guidance and support
Barking, London – 14 October 2025:
There are some events that simply tick a box and others that change lives. Today’s First Taste: Careers & Business Startups in the Food Sector, held at Barking & Dagenham College’s Technical Skills Academy, was firmly in the second category.Delivered by Sacoma Food School in partnership with Barking & Dagenham College, the event ignited something powerful across East London showing that food is more than what’s on a plate: it’s a platform for creativity, culture, and community wealth-building.
From Kitchen Tables to Business Tables
The free event brought together more than 50 residents from Barking & Dagenham, Newham, Havering, Thurrock, Redbridge, and Essex, many of whom were unemployed, on benefits, or at a crossroads in life. Councillor Irma Freeborn of Gores brook Ward, Barking & Dagenham also graced the event held at Barking Technical AcademyIn just two hours, participants were shown that their passion for cooking, heritage recipes, and community traditions could become more than hobbies, they could become profitable, purposeful ventures.Attendees left not only with ideas, but with an action plan: the opportunity to join a fully funded, week-long accredited Food Enterprise Course, starting later this month. The course will give them the business, compliance, and confidence skills to turn their first spark into a sustainable livelihood.
“We Don’t Just Teach Food. We Teach Possibility.”
“At Sacoma, we believe food can change everything from how people see themselves to how they support their families,” said [Perez Ochieng], CEO of Sacoma Food School.“Many of today’s attendees came in unsure, nervous, and feeling stuck. They left smiling, inspired, and ready to take the next step. We don’t just teach food; we teach possibility. This is about rewriting what opportunity looks like in East London.”
Stories That Stirred the Room
The morning included interactive sessions led by entrepreneurs who started from scratch some from their own home kitchens and are now running successful catering and retail businesses.
Participants engaged in small-group discussions about pathways to food business opportunities , cooking, skills, branding, packaging, retail readiness, and legal compliance, guided by Sacoma mentors and college tutors. The atmosphere was described as “electric, emotional, and empowering.
”One attendee, a single mother from the local area shared:
“I came here thinking I’d just learn a few tips. I’m leaving knowing I can start something that belongs to me. This has completely changed my mindset.”
A Growing Appetite for Change
The First Taste initiative is part of a wider movement to connect talent, culture, and opportunity across East London. The event represents a new kind of grassroots regeneration one built on creativity, diversity, and enterprise, led by Jo Wilson, Food Sector Development Lead, Inclusive Growth, LB Barking & Dagenham
A spokesperson for Barking & Dagenham College said:
“This is what local impact looks like hope turned into action. We’re proud to be part of something that celebrates people’s strengths, their heritage, and their potential. The energy in the room today proves that Barking & Dagenham has the next generation of food entrepreneurs right here.
Next Steps
Following the positive response, Sacoma Food School will expand its Food Trailblazer and First Taste initiatives, with plans to run similar programmes across Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, and Thurrock.
Enrolment for the week-long Food Enterprise & Startup Course opens this week, with places already filling fast. The course covers business planning, marketing, sustainability, and compliance giving participants the full toolkit to move from idea to income.
A Celebration of Culture, Confidence, and Community
The day ended not with a speech, but with shared smiles and shared food. Dishes made by local participants celebrated the borough’s rich cultural mix: African stews, Caribbean patties, South Asian snacks, and traditional British favourites.What started as a local event became a symbol of community resilience proof that with the right support, creativity and culture can lead to independence and opportunity.
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•Participants networking with local mentors and trainers
•Group photos of attendees celebrating the close of the event
•Food displays representing Barking & Dagenham’s cultural diversity
(High-resolution images available upon request.)
Media Contact
Name: perez OchiengEmail: perez.ochieng@sacoma-helathfoods.comNumber: +44 (0) 7764 961 489
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
First Taste: Careers & Business Startups in the Food Sector is an initiative by Sacoma Food School in partnership with Barking & Dagenham College, designed to unlock pathways to employment, training, and entrepreneurship in the food industry. The programme reflects a new approach to economic inclusion one that values creativity, culture, and community-led growth