Gambino Cheese Steaks, Kutab Street, Addis Eats, On the Pull, and Alu Bhaji received a combined £50,000 following a judging day for the programme, taking McCain’s total investment in training and programme delivery to nearly £600,000.
Operator businesses were assessed on taste and originality alongside pricing, margins, workflow, scalability, branding and route to market with the five businesses being awarded the maximum investment. On the day each founder had to prove that they possessed the commercial thinking, operational discipline and ambition needed to turn a standout dish into a sustainable business.
Gambino Cheese Steaks serves classic cheesesteaks reimagined with Caribbean and African flavours, while Kutab Street brings traditional Azerbaijani qutab to UK street food scene with its distinctive and authentic concept.
Addis Eats is an Ethiopian-inspired doro grill built around aromatic spices, and On the Pull serves pulled Welsh lamb and roast potatoes transformed into a contemporary street food dish. Alu Bhaji is a vegetarian concept celebrating pav bhaji with fresh onion salad.
Helping aspiring restaurateurs
Created by McCain and powered by street food specialist KERB, Streets Ahead helps aspiring entrepreneurs from disadvantaged and challenging backgrounds overcome barriers to entering hospitality.
“If you want to see where hospitality is heading, look at what is happening on the streets. It is where founders take the food they love, the cultures they represent and the ideas they believe in, and turn them into concepts people will queue for,” says Lucy Smith, product manager at McCain Foodservice Solutions.
“Each founder showed exceptional food, commercial ambition and a clear vision. Streets Ahead is not about handing over a cheque and walking away. It combines meaningful investment with coaching, practical experience and a route into trading that can turn talent into a lasting business.”
The five operators will now have the opportunity to progress into InKERBator, KERB’s immersive programme combining structured learning with live trading in a busy London street food market. There, founders can test their concepts with paying customers, refine menus, strengthen operations and build confidence to grow.
“Receiving £10,000 investment is just the beginning. These founders have shown the creativity, determination and entrepreneurial spirit needed to build successful food businesses,” says Natalie Capaldi, business coach at KERB.
“InKERBator offers an opportunity to build on that momentum, providing expert guidance and practical support as they take their next exciting steps.”