The Culinary Entrepreneur Program (CEP) at Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) continues to make significant progress in empowering newcomer and immigrant women to transform their culinary skills into viable food businesses.

To date, 12 of the 20 participants targeted by the project plan have been trained, with 60% (7 participants) having successfully registered their businesses in Ottawa and begun trading.

The program has now completed two cohorts, with recruitment, application, and interviews currently underway for Cohort 3, scheduled to commence on October 7, 2025.

Program Content and Delivery

Participants undertake an intensive and comprehensive curriculum designed to equip them with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to succeed in the food industry. Training modules include:

• Costing and pricing for profitability
• Product development and innovation
• Food safety and regulatory compliance
• Legalising their food businesses
• Business Model Canvas and growth strategies
• Branding, storytelling, and customer connection
• Sales strategies: POS systems, bundling, and promotions
• Pitching to investors, media, and at markets
• Human resources and people management
• Developing business terms & conditions, contracts, and agreements
• Risk management and contingency planning
• Financial planning, grant applications, and funding requirements
• Soft skills and building an entrepreneurial mindset

 Practical Experience

The program integrates hands-on commercial kitchen experience. Participants begin with an orientation session to observe kitchen culture, safety practices, and professional workflows. They then progress to supervised cooking sessions where their processes are timed, recorded, and photographed to improve efficiency, ensure consistency, support packaging and branding development, and generate marketing and social media content.

 Guest Speakers and Expert Support

CEP participants benefit from a wide range of expert speakers, including:

• Local business owners
• Representatives from the City of Ottawa (licensing and zoning)
• Accountants and lawyers
• HR and insurance specialists
• Banks, Crown corporations, and non-profit organizations offering small business services
• Social media and marketing specialists

In addition, the program provides access to faith-based financial education, including speakers on Sharia-compliant financing, to ensure inclusivity for participants of diverse backgrounds.

Impact

The CEP program is already demonstrating strong outcomes:

• 12 women trained, with 7 actively registered and trading businesses
• Two successful cohorts completed with visible entrepreneurial growth
• Increased confidence, practical knowledge, and professional networks for participants
• Creation of culturally diverse food products contributing to Ottawa’s food ecosystem

 Visual Highlights

The photographs accompanying this report showcase the participants engaged in commercial kitchen training, branding and marketing sessions, and classroom-based business development modules. They also highlight the diverse range of products created during the program, from hand-cut noodles and savoury pastries to innovative desserts and market-ready packaged goods.