What Happens When Food Brings People Together?
The answer, as it turns out, is quite a lot. Over the past two years, we’ve seen food spark friendships, build confidence, support communities and create opportunities.
It’s that impact that has earned Blend Culinary Foundation a place on the shortlist for the Charitable Business Award at the Yorkshire Post Business Awards 2026.
A recipe for real change
Every good dish starts with a simple idea. Ours was this: What if a food hall could feed more than just the people walking through its doors?
Blend Culinary Foundation was set up as the charitable arm of Blend Family to answer that question. Alongside the buzz of our food hall destinations, BCF tackles food insecurity, improves food education and brings communities closer together. And every penny raised goes straight back into that work.
At the heart of it all are two cookery schools. The first opened its doors in 2024 at Cambridge Street Collective in Sheffield. Seven months ago, a second kitchen joined the family at Alfred Works in Birmingham.
On paper, they’re teaching kitchens. In reality, they’ve become so much more: places where someone picks up a knife skill they’ll use for life and where strangers become regulars.
Both schools are fully wheelchair accessible, because a seat at the table should be open to everyone.
Bigger than any one kitchen
Not all five of our food halls have a cookery school. But that hasn’t stopped us from showing up across the whole network, through a growing mix of inclusive programmes and events.
BCF’s growing programme includes social cooking experiences such as the popular Cooking and Cocktails evenings and Brunch & Bubbles, alongside Teen Cooking Club, Junior Chef Programmes, Family Cooking Sessions and Corporate Pledge Days designed to bring people together through the universal language of food.
Every class counts
Here’s the part we’re most proud of. Whenever you book a class or come along to an event, the proceeds go directly to the causes we support, funding initiatives that tackle food insecurity in communities all over the UK.
So yes, you’ll leave with a full stomach and a new recipe up your sleeve. But you’ll also leave having helped put food on someone else’s table.
Lauren, our Head of BCF, said:
“We started this right here in Sheffield two years ago, and to be recognised for what we’ve achieved means everything to us. From our community partners and supporters to every person who has attended a class, hosted a pledge day or helped spread our message, this recognition reflects a collective effort to make a real difference. Food has an incredible ability to bring people together, and we’re proud to continue using that power to help create stronger, healthier communities.”
Fingers are crossed for 11th November.
The Yorkshire Post Business Awards celebrate excellence, innovation and impact across Yorkshire’s business community, and the winners will be announced at the ceremony.