the Lab
The Lab is the nursery of Masa47’s future.
Here, ambition meets opportunity. Emerging chefs find not only mentorship and know-how, but also the chance to connect with investors and collaborators. Whether through shared ventures, financial support, or tailored partnerships, The Lab creates win-win pathways that expand Masa47’s portfolio while empowering talent to achieve their dreams.
Its voice is supportive, forward-looking, and rooted in trust. It speaks the language of opportunity, of possibility, of futures yet to be written.
It introduces new chefs whose creativity enriches the Gallery.
It strengthens the Habitat by enabling chef-hosted experiences within its homes.
It thrives on direction from the Atelier, ensuring talent development is focused and purposeful.
the Lab’s promise is clear:
to recognize potential, provide guidance, and transform ambition into achievement.
It is not just mentorship.
It is the table where sparks become futures.
WHAT
DOES?
Our goal: to turn raw talent into repeatable concepts that enrich Masa47’s Gallery and beyond.
WHAT
PROVIDES?
Seed funding & co-investment opportunities
Pilot kitchens, pop-up slots and residency placements (Gallery & Habitat)
Business coaching: cost models, supplier introductions, and operational playbooks
Investor matchmaking and shared-venture structuring
for
Practical support: Supplier introductions, recipe costing, menu engineering, and front-of-house protocols.
Stage to perform: Pop-ups, residencies, and access to Gallery guest lists for immediate market feedback.
Financial pathways: Seed funding, co-investment or introductions to partner investors.
Visibility: Press features, Fact Bakery coverage, and social storytelling to build personal brand.
Community: A cohort of peers for collaboration, critique, and mutual support.
Residency Track
Short-term placement in a Gallery site or Habitat home.
Deliverables: guest menu, hosted dinner(s), social documentation, feedback loop.
Outcome: market feedback, press visibility, portfolio piece.
Incubator Track
For early-stage chefs with a clear concept.
Deliverables: proof-of-concept pop-up, menu iteration, pilot revenue model, investor-readiness demo.
Outcome: validated concept and a go/no-go investment decision.
Growth Track
For chefs with initial traction.
Access to operational mentorship, partial funding, and a launch plan for a Gallery location or franchise model.
Outcome: site launch, management handover plan, KPI targets.
Spark Sessions
Curated collaboration dinners and workshops where Lab chefs experiment under Atelier direction and test new formats with live guests.
Outcome: rapid insight; content for Fact Bakery and Gallery event programming.
1.Application
Short form
one-pager concept
3 photos
(or 2-minute video).
2.Review
Internal panel (Atelier + Lab + Gallery) evaluates concept against
creativity,
operational feasibility,
and fit with Masa47 values.
3.Shortlist & Pilot
Selected chefs run a pop-up or residency.
We measure:
guest feedback,
margin proxy,
and operational resilience.
4.Partnership
Successful pilots move to a partnership discussion:
seed funding,
shared-venture terms,
or launch space in The Gallery / Habitat.
for
Structured pilots that de-risk early-stage investment.
Operational playbooks and performance milestones to monitor progress.
Shared venture models with aligned incentives and clear exit terms.
Partnership Models:
Seed co-investment (structured equity or revenue-share)
Project-specific sponsorship (pop-ups, residencies)
Real-estate partnership for Gallery site launches or Habitat culinary events
