Norfolk Adds 11 Food Businesses to Catering List
Eleven local food businesses completed the sixth cohort of the city's Bon Appétit training program and will join a shared catering list.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Healthy Food
Live Poll
Do you think your local government does enough to support small businesses?
Eleven local food businesses completed an eight-week training program, the sixth cohort of Norfolk's Bon Appétit program, on October 30. The businesses will be added to a master catering list shared with city departments.
Why it matters
The catering list gives city departments a shared pool of vetted local food vendors to draw on. Completing the free program also makes participating businesses eligible for a $7,500 grant.
Eleven businesses completed an eight-week training program, and completion makes them eligible for a $7,500 grant. The source does not say how many businesses applied or how many were accepted.
The players
Danya Whipple
Whipple is the owner of Beignets and Brew in Ghent and one of the participants in Norfolk's sixth Bon Appétit cohort.
The details
Each week of the program covered a different part of running a food business, including branding and finances. On the final day, each owner presented their business to the group and answered questions from city representatives. Danya Whipple, owner of Beignets and Brew in Ghent, is among the participants.
Timeline
Early September 2026: Training for the sixth cohort began.
October 30, 2026: Final presentations and program culmination.
January 2027: Applications expected to open for the seventh cohort.
March 2027: Seventh cohort expected to launch.
Roadmap
The sixth cohort extends the Bon Appétit program's run of annual intakes, with the seventh cohort slated to open applications in January 2027. Adding graduates to a master catering list formalizes how the city connects trained local food vendors to its own departments.
Local food entrepreneurs in Norfolk can apply to the next Bon Appétit cohort when applications open in January 2027. Completing the free eight-week program makes a business eligible for a $7,500 grant.
The takeaway
For Norfolk food entrepreneurs, the program offers free business training and a path to city catering work plus a grant. Watching for the January application window is the practical next step for anyone considering it.
What happens next
Applications for the seventh Bon Appétit cohort are expected to open in January 2027, with the cohort launching in March 2027.
Further reading
Explore more healthy food coverage tied to Norfolk's local food scene.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News 3 WTKR Norfolk.
Live Poll
Do you think your local government does enough to support small businesses?
