First Virtual Cocinemos (Let's Cook) Class Graduates

Virtual Cocinemos graduation.

A strong local economy includes diverse and thriving food-based businesses. Having the knowledge and resources to start a food-based business can be life-changing for aspiring entrepreneurs and their families, so when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Oregon, we knew we had to continue offering the course.

Our Empresas team quickly got the program up and running digitally, and ten weeks later, we hosted our first-ever digital Cocinemos graduation!

Our Cocinemos (Let’s Cook!) course, a partnership with the City of Hillsboro, helps local Latino entrepreneurs successfully start and grow food-based businesses in Hillsboro, and a diverse group of businesses have since sprouted from the course. Mexican cuisine, baked goods, fruit carved into art, and many more creative ventures come out of Cocinemos and into our community.

The thirteen new Cocinemos graduates have exciting plans ahead, including selling their delicious offerings at farmers markets in Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, and Beaverton.

Graduates also get access to the brand new Adelante Mujeres commercial kitchen to help them jump-start their businesses.

The brand new Adelante Mujeres commercial kitchen.

We can’t wait to see what’s in store for these budding entrepreneurs. We bet it will be tasty! Felicidades, graduates!