Contact
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Please check our FAQ before mailing us
Email: hq@kerbfood.com
Press: KERB@wcommunications.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
Yes – we are actively seeking new spaces to grow our markets in London.
It is a trader who we have selected to become a member of KERB. We take on around 5% of those who apply.
- To create a legitimate platform for talented, independent street food businesses
- To improve the quality of food served on London’s streets
- To create delicious and fun experiences for everyone in the space between buildings
None. We are London-focused – but happy to consult on ventures elsewhere.
Head to the MARKETS section
The kerb is a platform, a stage and a leveller. It is where a business can launch, theatre can happen from all the brilliant cooking and street life and where everyone in the city belongs.
We operate street food markets, put on public events and cater corporate and private events. We also consult, incubate new traders and run workshops.
CUSTOMERS
Yes: please use the sign up button in the header.
Head to our HIRE page
Either come to one of our MARKETS, book us for a private event (on the HIRE US page) or invite us to build you a new market
BUSINESSES
Yes, please email ian@kerbfood.com for more details.
Of course – but we also have social goals at the heart of the business that are all about making London a more delicious, independent, inclusive and fun place. (If we wanted to get rich quick we wouldn’t be in this industry ; ) )
TRADERS
Once you have been invited to be an inKERBator or KERB member, you will be given opportunities to trade with us. We never randomly rota traders. See how to join us here.
No.
No – we are street food only. We take this to mean traders whose primary focus is preparing/cooking on the street for customers to eat there and then.
When our founder, Petra – and a trader at the time – realised that if she joined forces with other like-minded traders they could make more happen. It began as an idea, then a hobby, then a business.
See the JOIN US section.
Being a doer, personality, drive, go-getter, vision, hustle, forthrightness, honesty, originality, team-player – and dedicated to serving the best version of their dish that they can, every day and consistently, over and over again.
See our JOIN KERB page.
This is about ensuring not only that flavour reigns on the KERB, but that the back of house side is taken care of too. NCASS with their years of experience in health & safety are our chosen partners for maintaining the practices of each of our traders. For more info read our Health & Safety policy
As long as we keep receiving brilliant applications and finding new sites to cluster our traders we will keep growing. Membership is getting harder though, as we look to bringing more sustainability to traders via the opportunities we create. Also, as the industry grows, it is becoming more difficult to stand out from the crowd and we are seeking the head-turners!
PRESS
Please contact tara@kerbfood.com
Loads: Mexican, Italian, Korean, Japanese, French, US, Venezuelan, Colombian, Seychelles, Caribbean, Spanish, Levantine, British, Taiwanese, Indian, Greek, Pakistani, Jewish, Scandi, Indonesian, Polynesian, Thai…
See the KERBANISTS page for the most up-to-date number.
Meet The Team
Petra Barran
Founder
Street food trader 2005-2011 via Jimmy, the choc-mobile. Drove all over Britain in that wagon, making friends with fellow traders as I went. Then, in a Damascene moment, realised that if we got organised we could make great things happen. First came eat.st (2010) the hobby/street food collective, then KERB (2012) the business.
Urbanism, dancehall, New Orleans.
TIPPLE: Tequila, straight-up
Simon Mitchell
CEO
Events industry stalwart – going from 90s/naughties DJ to his own events company, Impulse, in 2003, before joining Concerto Group in 2011. Simon joined KERB as MD in early 2016 and none of us have ever looked back ; ) The guy is driven and a great combination of sharp business brain, strong leader and big vision.
Chicken wing eating expert and Watford fan for life.
TIPPLE: Neck Oil
Ian Dodds
Managing Director
Part of the tiny founding KERB team of three and has done pretty much every job there is in the business. Ian keeps things on the level when everything else is spinning. Great diplomat and strategist, brilliant palate and discerning eye for the next thing in food, drink and cities.
Urbanism, cheese aficianado, Liverpool fan.
TIPPLE: Large Negroni
Alana Buckley
Commercial Director and Head of Events
Alana has ten years in the events world under her belt – from heading up the events team at St Pauls’ Cathedral and Royal Hospital Chelsea to organising the iconic ‘Diner en Blanc’. With us since 2015, she heads up the PE team like the true slayer from Queens that she is.
Avid reader, politico, gym obsessive.
TIPPLE: Prosecco – and a straw
Robert Machin
Head of Membership
With us since the start and (other than a brief, misguided sabbatical to Bleecker Burger in 2015) has been deep in this thing like no one else. From market manager to book-keeper to systems builder to street food sooth-sayer, this is the guy you want on your team. Heart and soul doesn’t cover it.
Linguist, philosopher, Family Specials and new dad.
TIPPLE: Lithuanian unfiltered lager
Ollie Hunter
Head of Development
Ollie is the fixer and the ideas guy. He writes formulas in spreadsheets that make our markets work, at the same time as building games for our events and designing the KERB Vault. All-rounder, esoteric mind and endlessly patient.
Rambler, break-dancer, pub-quiz fluffer.
TIPPLE: Ice cold beer
Hannah Walton
Head of Bars & Operations
When Hannah told us she’d grown up in a pub she was immediately given an interview. Then she told us she had a degree in Project Management and it was all over.
Marathon runner, deep sea swimmer, flutist.
TIPPLE: Chilled Manzanilla
Sophie Alexander
Head of People
Organisational wunderkind! After a 7 year stint in the corporate world, Sophie comes to us with mad tricks up her sleeves and we love it.
Dog lover, cheese lover, pub lover (lad).
TIPPLE: Wine
Theo-Lee Houston
Head of Markets
From banker gazing out at our Gherkin market to trader to market manager to head of markets (!) Theo lives and breathes the street food life. Catch him roaming around the East Ends (or soaking up Island Life in the winter) – always with that keen eye, love of people and sharp mind.
Londoner for life, sound systems forever, explorer always.
TIPPLE: Rum
Sam Forbes
Marketing Manager
Leaving the media agency life behind to set up a pop-up venture in Brixton, some of you may recognise this face from KERB Counter where Sam briefly used to manage. Then he bounded upstairs to join the KERB team in Jan – hands on, ideas heavy, comms commando AND logistic – this guy’s stacked solid with all-rounded Marketing expertise.
Food, Disco, Dogs.
TIPPLE: Beer then red wine
Tara Rudd
Content Manager
Known for drawing funny faces on her Instagram posts, this one’s a quirk worth her weight in hashtags. Total grafter, food fanatic and witty observations on the KERB life from behind her smartphone. Catch her on our markets, trawling for #KERBfashion.
Exercise, donuts, exercise, kati rolls.
TIPPLE: Frozen Chilli Margarita
Tommy Harpin
General Manager - Bars
Digital artist fresh-out-of uni scouted whilst moonlighting at KERB/KIN Christmas Social 2016 – Tommy was snapped up due to his calm, systematic, can-do attitude. The fact he’s super handy with a Leatherman is pure bonus.
Charlton fan, fine art photographer, luscious locks!
TIPPLE: Whisky sour
Elle Castle
Senior Project Manager
Ex ballet dancer who ditched uni after a year for the heady world of events. Elle’s managed them, done artist liaison and stage managed at international festivals. And she loves Health & Safety (!)
Dancing, gig fanatic, healthy eating.
TIPPLE: G&T
Hannah Searle
Senior Events Manager
Food-obsessed and first in line for an eating competition, Hannah Searle (aka The Beast) ditched her high-flying job at JP Morgan to come and get stuck into the PE side of the business. ‘World’s worst singer’ but loves karaoke (awkward…) and fanatic about To Do Lists.
Dogs, Marmite connoisseur, sun worshipper.
TIPPLE: Espresso Martini
Hattie Shannon Little
Events Manager
Geography degree under belt, Hattie hit the road after graduating and loves to travel. After working in Asia and Australia for two years at bars and venues she found her Events calling and came back to London to pursue it.
Loves cycling, exploring, sticky toffee pudding.
TIPPLE: Dark ‘n Stormy
Sophie Phillips
Senior Event Coordinator
From management scheme to start-up, pizza pop-up to big chain restaurant, Sophie finally found her calling combining her love of food and events at KERB.
Travel enthusiast, chocoholic, beach lover, wannabe photographer.
TIPPLE: Gin and tonic in the sunshine
Shilpa Parmar
Event Manager
Shilpa joins the KERB Caters team after swapping her agency stint for all things street food. Catch her ticking off to do lists, getting her hands dirty and drinking endless cups of tea.
Dog obsessed, Chai drinker and fried chicken & doughnut eater.
TIPPLE: G&T
Joe Mills
Operations Manager
With over 15 years ducking and diving his way through the hospitality industry Joe now keeps the great wheels of KERB well oiled and turning. More at home on his hands and knees than behind a desk, this guy certainly knows how to get his hands dirty in the name of progress!
Rocker, film buff, ale man.
TIPPLE: Doombar
Blake Henderson
Operations Director
Leaving behind New Zealand and the bright lights of New York for London’s food and drinks scene. Cocktail obsessed he quickly found his comfort zone in bars, before working and eating his way around London’s bespoke events industry. Calm and composed, he is a firm believer that there are no such things are problems – only solutions!
Gin lover, passport stamp collector, pickle obsessed.
TIPPLE: Jalapeño Margarita
James Brooks
Senior Market Manager (Paddington, Gherkin, St. Kats)
Ex-suit and tie robot turned globe-trotter. James gave up a career in the city to travel the world and recently found his calling of food and people. Find him with his mouthful (masquerading as @SquishyJimmy on Insta) at either Paddington, The Gherkin or St Kats.
Avid Adventurer, Burger eater, Dance-floor annihilator.
TIPPLE: IPA
Rupert Avery
Senior Market Manager (West India Quay)
Leaving the life at sea on super-yachts behind to start a Mexican street food business with his Twin brother, ‘@dosmas_food’, then become a Market Manager at KERB.
Explorer, Diver Enthusiast, Loves Mexico, Tacos all day.
TIPPLE: Classic Man
Jack Fargher
Market Manager, (King's Cross)
A jack of all food trades, from artisan bakeries to food waste projects. Just finished an MSc in Food policy. Flatbread fanboy and makes the best Muhammara in London. Always reading (food) history books and will always recommend one to you!
Drummer, history nut, mezze maven.
TIPPLE: Brandy Sour
Kelly Austin
Team Coordinator
Joining us from the KERB Counter, expert cocktail shaker, Kelly, moved from South Africa in 2012 to pursue a London adventure.
Free spirit and cool as a cucumber (EXCEPT when she’s ‘hangry’) – happiest when lone-roaming the great outdoors, taking photos, munching on biltong and doing handstands.
TIPPLE: Chilli cocktails in any form
Nicol Harrison-Dwyer
Seven Dials Market General Manager
From working in hospitality since the age of 15 making sandwiches at Mum & Dad’s Birmingham cafe – to living in Malaysia (where she fell in love with the dumplings) – then moving to London to manage Dinerama and now our biggest project yet, Seven Dials Market.
TIPPLE: Negroni
Husain Mapara
Seven Dials Market Bars General Manager
Frequent traveller and KERB Fashionista – Londoner, Husain started working for us at KERB Counter and now will be heading up the Bars at Seven Dials Market.
He used to be a Librarian for Camden council before breaking out into his true calling – festivals and parties.
Full-time raver, techno house and disco lover, the deepest voice you’ll ever hear.
TIPPLE: Rum Old Fashioned
Sam Mason
Bar Manager
Sam’s been working with us on bars for what seems like forver and now he’s finally joined our HQ team! And it’s not just bars he’s nifty on – after studying graphic design at Ravensbourne he worked with over 9 different KERB traders including Meltsmiths, Beefsteaks, Luxury Flats, BBQ Dreamz to name a few.
Japanese food lover, secret chef, tattoo lover.