East Kent Colleges Group launches Kent’s first innovation kitchen

East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) has proudly unveiled the EKC Innovation Kitchen – a state-of-the-art, bookable professional kitchen designed to help local food businesses innovate, develop, and scale their products at a fraction of the usual cost.

Located within The Yarrow in Broadstairs – a working hotel and training facility for students at EKC Broadstairs College – this unique space is the first of its kind in Kent.

It offers food entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes access to high-end equipment and professional-grade facilities typically out of reach for smaller producers.

With an investment of approximately £250,000, EKC Group has equipped the innovative space with advanced culinary technology, allowing users to streamline and optimise their production processes.

Whether scaling up a recipe, experimenting with new techniques, or testing product viability, the kitchen is designed to support every stage of food innovation and businesses of all sizes.

To ensure the space offers exactly what Kent food businesses need, EKC Group has been working closely with Produced in Kent. This partnership has allowed the Group to gather important feedback on the project, such as from Rachael Pynenberg, who is the founder of pickles and preserves business, Miam Jars.

“This is a real game-changer for our region. Until now, I’ve had to travel in and out of London to access anything like this,” she said.

“The EKC Innovation Kitchen has equipment big enough to halve my batch times, saving me hours and making production far more cost-effective.

“For a small business, time is money. Being able to produce at scale locally is a huge win, and not having to invest in all the kit myself is even better.”

Susie Warran-Smith, Executive Chair of Produced in Kent, added: “There’s nowhere like this in Kent, so it’s a first for us.

“It’s a really big step up to either get your own industrial unit or to get a contract manufacturer, and the leap is too big often, and you need to find funding.

“The EKC Innovation Kitchen is perfect because it means you can come in for half a day or a day, and probably do what you could at home in three days.

“We’re so thrilled to be working with EKC Group because it’s exactly what our members need.”

Alongside access to the cutting-edge equipment, users of the space will benefit from hands-on support from Daphne Besseling, the Food Innovation Technical Consultant.

Holding a degree in Food Innovations, Daphne brings deep expertise and practical guidance to help businesses make the most of the opportunity.

“This facility offers incredible potential for local producers,” she said.

“Many small or growing businesses don’t have access to this level of equipment or support. The EKC Innovation Kitchen changes that – giving them the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive market.”

EKC Group’s CEO, Lucy McLeod, added: “We’ve always been highly committed to innovation, and having this kitchen in The Yarrow is a fantastic example of that.

“The EKC Innovation Kitchen offers a fantastic opportunity to micro-businesses in Kent who may be producing food and drink in their own kitchens, want to upscale, but can’t afford the equipment.

“It’s especially fitting that this initiative is based in Broadstairs, where we have a proud history in catering. Our students benefit from a unique opportunity where they gain real-world experience at The Yarrow.

“From there, many go on to careers in five-star hotels or even Michelin-starred restaurants – just like our renowned alumnus, Gary Rhodes, who became a celebrity chef.”

Now officially open and bookable by the half or full day, the EKC Innovation Kitchen represents an exciting leap forward for food innovation in Kent, combining education, enterprise, and economic growth under one roof.

Tours can also be booked for the space via the EKC Group Innovation website.