Rachel Khoo & KETTLE® Chips Announce Year Two of The KETTLE® Khoo Academy : Supporting & Driving People Into Gourmet Food Careers

Following the successful first year of The KETTLE® Khoo Academy KETTLE® Chips and renowned best-selling author and TV presenter, Rachel Khoo, are thrilled to announce that the programme will be returning for a second year to support aspiring people seeking a career in gourmet food.

Discover how people seeking a career in gourmet food can apply for a chance to be part of a six month mentoring programme & receive up to £4,000 in monetary support to help overcome key obstacles in career development in the industry, such as training fees, childcare costs and lack of income for cooking equipment.

KETTLE® Khoo Academy Year Two 

Following on from last year, five pioneering people will be selected to participate in the six-month mentorship scheme which will run from October 2025 to March 2026.

We encourage women to consider applying to join the KETTLE® Khoo Academy as we recognise there is an underrepresentation of women in professional kitchens, who make up only 18.5%* of chefs in the UK.

However, all applications will be treated equally. By fostering a more dynamic and inclusive industry, the Academy aims to empower aspiring chefs and food entrepreneurs through expert-led workshops, financial support, and access to a
network of industry leaders, equipping participants with the tools, confidence, and connections needed to thrive in a competitive field.

Throughout the programme, each successful applicant will take part in monthly virtual workshops led by industry experts across a range of sectors such as brand building, social media and PR, accounting, and sustainability, as well as expert guidance from Rachel Khoo herself.

In addition to this support, selected applicants will receive up to £4,000 in financial support to help overcome common challenges in career progression and barriers in the food industry, including skill-building within the kitchen, business set up costs, childcare costs, and lack of income for quality cooking utensils and equipment.

Graduates from the Academy last year used their bursaries in a range of practical and meaningful ways including funding driving lessons to access remote job opportunities and broadening their food industry skillset with salsa masterclasses in Mexico and sommelier courses. All flavour loving individuals can apply from  8 July 2025 at 00:01 hours  until 22 August 2025 at 23:59 hours.

Speaking on the KETTLE® Khoo Academy, Rachel Khoo says, “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the growth
and progression of this year’s cohort throughout the first year of the programme, which is all about empowering aspiring chefs and providing them with the tools and support needed to thrive in the food industry. Whether you’re a food entrepreneur or simply passionate about flavour, we want to hear from you.”

How can you apply for this opportunity?

The aim of The KETTLE® Khoo Academy is to create more opportunities in the food industry from professional kitchens and restaurants to small businesses.

Entrants must share a post and tag @kettlechipsuk on Instagram, @KETTLEChipsUK on Facebook or @KETTLEChipsUK on X . The post must explain who they are and their location (name and county) why they would like to be considered for the KETTLE® Khoo Academy, and what their dream gourmet KETTLE® chip flavour would be, and why. Once the social media post is live, applicants must also submit a short written bio to the KETTLE® Khoo Academy email address at apply@kettlekhooacademy.com explaining their culinary journey so far, future career ambitions, availability for the 6-month programme, and a link to their social post.

Please see significant conditions here and full T&C’s apply, see kettlechips.co.uk.

The 5 main prize winners selected by a judging panel (see below) as having submitted the most interesting, creative & compelling entries will each win: access to a mentoring programme and a bursary fund up to a maximum of £4000 to be spent between 1/11/25 and 31/03/26 to assist them to further their career in the food industry.

There are 20 runner-up prize winners who will each receive a copy of The Little Paris Kitchen book by Rachel Khoo.

At Women in the Food Industry we are delighted to be assisting with this initiative and co-founder Mex Ibrahim said, “One of the reasons we set up Women In The Food Industry was to try to address the balance of power in the food industry. It was to shine a spotlight on the amazing things that women are doing to help the economy, the reputation and quality of UK food and most importantly, what women are doing to nurture and grow other people and therefore business. It was to get women seen as an inspiration to others.”

22nd August 2025 – Applications Close

22nd September 2025  – Winners informed

Following the selection of the 5 people, the mentoring programme will launch on 4th November 2025 and run until 17th  March 2026 with each person receiving support with brand building, social media and PR skills, accounting and creativity sessions through a comprehensive virtual workshop process for mentees, each month delving into a different theme.

Don’t forget the application deadline is 22 August at 23:59. 

Have a question about KETTLE Khoo Academy? Email the team at apply@kettlekhooacademy.com

*Data taken from Sally Abé’s, A Woman’s Place Is In The Kitchen, published June 2024.