Square Food Foundation’s mentoring programme

Jenny Smith, Square Food Foundation Mentor Programme Manager, shares how their mentoring programme is helping How To Be A Chef graduates build confidence, set goals and explore new opportunities with the support of mentors.

Hi, I’m Jenny from Square Food Foundation, and I’m so excited to share some incredible news with you. Last August, we launched our very first mentoring programme – an extension of our How To Be A Chef (HTBAC) course – and it’s already making a huge difference.

At Square Food, we’ve always known that cooking is about more than just food – it’s about confidence, creativity, and finding your place in the world. Our HTBAC course is designed for young people aged 16 to 25 who aren’t in education, full-time employment, or training. Over 12 weeks, students gain valuable cooking skills and build confidence in and out of the kitchen. But what happens next? That’s where our new mentoring programme comes in.

We match each graduate with a mentor – someone who can guide them as they navigate their next steps. A mentor is more than just a sounding board; they help students set goals, explore new opportunities, and feel more confident about the future. And to show you how powerful this can be, I’d love to introduce you to Rhys and Max.

Finding the right path

Rhys, 17, joined HTBAC last September after finishing his GCSEs. He already loved cooking for himself and his mum at home, but he wanted to learn more about the professional side of things – how a kitchen really works behind the scenes.

He admits he was a bit nervous about the idea of having a mentor at first. But now, three months into his partnership with Max Kohn, co-founder of The Jolly Hog, he’s seeing the benefits:

“It’s really good. Max is a great person for planning and encouraging actions. He’s good at structure which is sometimes what I need. He’s a confident person, he can create a plan and have an end goal.” 

Rhys and Max meet once a month to review Rhys’s goals and create a clear plan of action. Rhys says the best thing about having a mentor is getting an outside perspective:

“The best thing is having an outside opinion. If I ask my mum I know she’s going to want me to get any job or go to college. Max encourages me to think outside the box and consider different options. There are certain things you need an outside perspective for. Max has different experience and it’s really helpful to get his perspective.” 

Since completing HTBAC, Rhys has started volunteering at Café Lido and working ad-hoc shifts with The Jolly Hog events team. He’s building experience and figuring out what kind of job he really wants.

Sharing knowledge

Max is passionate about helping others, so when he heard about the mentoring programme, he jumped at the chance. For him, it’s about passing on what he’s learned:

“It’s healthy to share knowledge and experience. I really see the benefit in people who’ve been there sharing what they’ve learnt. As a business, we’ve always had good mentors. I’ve found mentors really useful for thinking further ahead. These are opportunities that I’ve really valued, so I’m more than happy to do it for someone else.” 

Max is clearly proud of Rhys and excited about the journey they’re on together:

Rhys is young, he’s got the world at his feet. He needs a little guidance and nudging along- and I’m good at nudging along. Rhys is engaged, listens and wants to get more out of life. I hope I’m giving him more confidence to do things he might not do otherwise.” 

And it’s not just Rhys who’s benefiting – Max says mentoring is rewarding for him too:

“It’s really nice to build a relationship with someone who is totally different, and that works for both sides. He is a different generation to me. Thinks differently, acts differently. It’s enlightening for me.” 

Want to get involved?

Stories like Rhys and Max’s remind us why mentoring matters. It’s not about having all the answers – it’s about listening, encouraging, and helping someone figure things out for themselves.

If you’d like to become a mentor and help the next generation of HTBAC graduates, we’d love to hear from you. You can find out more and apply here or email me at jenny@squarefoodfoundation.co.uk.

To stay updated on future events, job opportunities and news, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter at bristolgoodfood.org/newsletter. 

The photos are of students on a previous How To Be A Chef course.