Concept Development
Expand your understanding of food, technique and palate. Work with our team of chefs to create costed, scalable recipes.
Empowering Entrepreneurs in Mobile Food
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Instrucktional is an incubator for creative self-starters and food lovers.
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK, FROM MENU DEVELOPMENT TO TRUCK DESIGN AND BUSINESS PLAN CREATION
Instrucktional is a 24 month incubator for mobile food businesses. It provides entrepreneurs with the tools, skills, and support they need to test their food business concepts and prepare for success in the open marketplace after program completion.
There is no fee to apply or enroll in the program. In fact, all participants are full-time, salaried employees who enjoy benefits including insurance and paid holidays.
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Truck Design
Develop your own brand identity, including a logo and truck wrap, with the support of a team of designers.
Launch
Gain experience and confidence to run your your own brand.
Entrepreneurs
Bradley Thathiah
Bradley Thathiah, a fifth generation Indian born in South Africa, he decided he wanted to share a dish from his hometown. Raised in San Francisco… Read more »
Bradley Thathiah
Bradley Thathiah, a fifth generation Indian born in South Africa, he decided he wanted to share a dish from his hometown. Raised in San Francisco he worked previously as a graphic designer and administrator when he decided to follow his passion and dive head first into the culinary industry.
Cris Vasconcelos
A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Cris left a successful career in financial management to pursue new opportunities in the world of food service and… Read more »
Cris Vasconcelos
A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Cris left a successful career in financial management to pursue new opportunities in the world of food service and hospitality. He soon landed a role as a cook with The Whole Cart, where he quickly rose through the ranks and went on to supervise several of the company’s mobile food concepts. Cris’ goal for his first mobile food venture of his own is to introduce Northern California palates to the flavors of Brazil.
Dimitri Lilavois
Dimitri is a newcomer to California, having spent most of his life in Florida and Haiti. He credits his passion for cooking to food-centric family… Read more »
Dimitri Lilavois
Dimitri is a newcomer to California, having spent most of his life in Florida and Haiti. He credits his passion for cooking to food-centric family gatherings that took place every Sunday growing up. As an experienced chef of fine dining restaurants and hotels in Haiti, he hopes his food truck will help rectify the underrepresentation of Caribbean cuisine in the Bay Area.
Elizabeth Miranda
Elizabeth Miranda is a dedicated, enthusiastic self-starter who traces her passion for food back to the first baking book she received from her mother as… Read more »
Elizabeth Miranda
Elizabeth Miranda is a dedicated, enthusiastic self-starter who traces her passion for food back to the first baking book she received from her mother as a child. As a graduate of the Patisserie and Baking program at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, she has an eye for visual beauty and detail in food presentation.
She created Postrique, a churro concept that showcases her pastry training as well as her exceptional creativity. The inventive use of churros in every dish– both sweet and savory– allow for a adventurous exploration of Elizabeth’s take on classic Mexican flavors
Greg Spangler
Greg is an avid home cook who enjoys keeping up with culinary trends. He spent the last 10+ years managing live events in hotels like… Read more »
Greg Spangler
Greg is an avid home cook who enjoys keeping up with culinary trends. He spent the last 10+ years managing live events in hotels like the Ritz Carlton, Hyatt Regency, and the Palace Hotel, meaning he’s been on his feet, working in high-pressure environments for quite some time. Greg likes soulful cooking that comes from the heart and feels that it’s important to build customers for life. He appreciates innovation and artistry, but he gravitates towards cuisine that is classic and enduring.
Ikeisha Fields
Ikeisha was born and raised in Oakland, and strives to represent her hometown in everything she does. She grew up cooking simple but hearty meals for… Read more »
Ikeisha Fields
Ikeisha was born and raised in Oakland, and strives to represent her hometown in everything she does. She grew up cooking simple but hearty meals for herself and her siblings, but only after working for several successful food trucks did she hear the calling to spread her food to the rest of the Bay Area. With Instrucktional, she aims to launch a “west coast soul food bowls” truck with an emphasis on breakfast and brunch classics.
Samuel Esquibel
Samuel Esquibel is a relative newcomer to foodservice, but will not have trouble adapting to the work ethic and values of the industry thanks to his… Read more »
Samuel Esquibel
Samuel Esquibel is a relative newcomer to foodservice, but will not have trouble adapting to the work ethic and values of the industry thanks to his years in law enforcement and the military. After deciding that a career making people happy would be truer to his personality, he applied to Instrucktional for help realizing his dream of opening a tater tot truck.
SISKA SILITONGA MARCUS
Siska has been serving Indonesian inspired food through pop-up dinners and private events in San Francisco Bay Area since 2015. Her pop-up was listed as… Read more »
SISKA SILITONGA MARCUS
Siska has been serving Indonesian inspired food through pop-up dinners and private events in San Francisco Bay Area since 2015. Her pop-up was listed as one of the Best Indonesian Restaurants in the Bay Area by 7×7 and The most authentic Indonesian food in the Bay Area by SF Gate.
Siska has also launched a line of Indonesian cooking condiments, using ingredients that she can sourced locally. They are available for purchase on Good Eggs, at a James Beard award winning Cafe & Market SHED, The Epicurean Trader, and Safeway Community Markets.
For her, Instrucktional is the big push that she needed to fulfill her dream to run the 1st Indonesian Food Truck in the Bay Area. The program provides mentorship from scaling recipes, train employees, launch a truck, everything she ought to know to run a profitable mobile food business. Siska began cooking at a young age with her mother and mentor, a chef in Jakarta, and brought her talent and passion to San Francisco and has become an Indonesian food ambassador. Her ultimate goal is to promote and raise awareness of Indonesian food and culture in the Bay Area. Read a recent San Francisco Chronicle article on her culinary journey (“The fire to share Indonesian Food”. Article link )
Sofia Ghafari
Growing up in a multicultural household with parents who are great cooks encouraged Sofia to experiment with spices and to blend flavors from Portuguese and… Read more »
Sofia Ghafari
Growing up in a multicultural household with parents who are great cooks encouraged Sofia to experiment with spices and to blend flavors from Portuguese and Persian cuisines. Food has always been her greatest passion in life, but becoming vegan as an adult caused her to be even more conscious of what she puts into her body. This, combined with an interest and investment in sustainability, led Sofia to work on a vegan concept that proves vegan food can be comforting, hearty soul food.