La Cocina’s Insider program is fun, delicious, and impactful. Previously known as our Membership program (which granted different access and perks depending on giving levels), La Cocina’s Insider program gives all donors the same experience and level of perk access, highlighting our values of inclusivity.

Our community’s collective generosity and commitment fuel every aspect of our work. We want every donor to be given the opportunity to understand La Cocina on a deeper level and connect with our community regardless of income level.  Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by IRS guidelines.

• Early access to event ticket sales and seasonal programs (e.g. food box subscription)

• Early access to applicable partnership offerings (e.g. tickets to a wine tasting benefitting La Cocina)

• Retail benefits (e.g. discounts on online shop)

• Invitations to our Drop-In Market, an event where prospective applicants sample their food for feedback

• The opportunity to host catered dinners or lunches by early-stage incubator participants 

• The ability to opt into bonus content on social media and other La Cocina communication channels.

Your gift of $180/year or $15/month:

Supports an hour for a repairman to fix the Hobart or dishwasher if it breaks or consulting services that can cost $200/hour from professionals.

*Minimum amount to become a La Cocina Insider.

Your gift of $600/year or $50/month:

Supports pro-bono attorneys working alongside a new cohort to create legal business entities or PR and marketing support that can cost $6K/month for many restaurants.

Your gift of $2,400/year or $200/month:

Supports capital projects, like new restaurants, which require hundreds of thousands of dollars -- if not millions. This fuels legal fees, lease negotiations, and investor relations.

"I so wish that my sisters had a La Cocina near them in Gujarat -- not just for the food part, but because they are so intelligent, so talented. But how will they know what they are capable of? No one is pushing them. No one is asking, ‘What do you want? What do you want to become? Before La Cocina I was never recognized. Most of my life, I felt ignored and insulted. But at La Cocina, I was not only seen, I was celebrated. And that support transformed what I'm able to do.”

Chef Heena Patel’s restaurant Besharam was named Eater SF’s “2019 Restaurant of the Year.” Unlike past Eater winners, Besharam is not new. It first opened in 2018, and then re-opened a year later after a partnership failed to support Heena’s vision. 

Heena had named her restaurant Besharam -- one who is shameless and does not follow rules. But her work that first year mirrored a motto Heena remembered her mother repeat since she was a child: “Accept and adapt.” 

Heena had followed that advice most of her life. Marry a man the family chooses? Move to live with his family in London, even if you don’t speak English? Accept and adapt.  No more.

When Heena took full control of Besharam, diners began to see how truly “shameless” her space could be. This chef poured her soul, creativity and fearlessness into new dishes, new cocktails, and a new attitude -- conjuring up a warm, delicious, and bold experience. 

La Cocina has been by Heena’s side since 2013 when she joined our program wanting to run an Indian food truck as well as...when she began cooking dishes rooted in her childhood, when her vision grew and she began dreaming of her own restaurant, when she opened that restaurant, and when it was time to reclaim the restaurant as her own.

La Cocina provided Heena with hundreds of hours of technical assistance, access to dozens of market opportunities, and worked to secure front-of-house leadership, marketing support, and investors. Your donations make it possible.

We couldn’t be more proud of Chef Heena and the nearly 60 entrepreneurs who have graduated from La Cocina. Now, go make a reservation at Besharam!