Seoul City to Open 'Youth Cook Business Center' in May to Foster Young Restaurant Entrepreneurs

Near Konkuk University Station with High Youth Foot Traffic... Featuring Open Kitchen, Taste Testing, and Filming Studio
Recruitment for First Phase Until the 18th of Next Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 25th that it will open the dedicated space for aspiring young restaurant owners, the ‘Cheongnyeon Cook Business Center,’ in May. It will be located near ‘Geondae Mat-ui Street’ by Geondaeipgu Station, an area with a high youth floating population, with a total floor area of 259㎡.

The ‘Cheongnyeon Cook Business Center’ is a space designed to cultivate entrepreneurs who are strong in practice through specialized theoretical education and hands-on training, focusing on startup fields that align with the latest trends in the food service industry. It offers free essential education and practical training for startups, including developing practical recipes for startups, customized training on how to use delivery platforms, and opportunities for hands-on experience in industries similar to the desired startup items.

The theme for the first term is ‘Shared Kitchen Delivery Startup.’ The city is recruiting 15 trainees for the first term until the 18th of next month. The first term training will last about four months. Applicants must be prospective or re-entrepreneurs aged 19 to 39 with a Seoul City address. Final trainees will be selected through document screening and interviews, evaluating their entrepreneurial motivation and startup items.

To provide practical help for startups, related experts will also support branding and design. Programs to check the final preparation status before starting a business are also prepared, such as the ‘Mock Investment Presentation (IR) Demo Day,’ where experts evaluate business plans and provide helpful feedback, and the ‘Taste Testing Competition,’ which offers verification opportunities for prototypes created as a result of consulting.

Kim Hyun, Director of the Korea Food Culture Research Institute, said, “Currently, the government and local governments provide a lot of support for food startups, but the important thing is to give the confidence that ‘if you receive education here, you will definitely gain something.’ Seoul City’s ‘Cheongnyeon Cook Business Center’ offers specialized education in ‘shared kitchen delivery startups,’ which cannot be seen elsewhere, and I believe this will appeal to prospective food entrepreneurs.”

Kim Cheol-hee, Head of Seoul City’s Future Youth Planning Group, said, “The goal is to increase the success rate of startups by providing practical startup assistance through specialized education on ‘shared kitchen delivery startups’ in the changed food service startup environment after COVID-19. We will support young people so that they can realize their dreams and gain confidence to make a fresh start.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.