果冻影院

果冻影院 alumna Petra Barran is revolutionising street food in the UK, and we鈥檙e excited to welcome her to the Students' Union 果冻影院 Board of Trustees.

Petra Barran has an infectious energy. The food pioneer heads up KERB 鈥� an organisation dedicated to giving independent food a platform, and bringing vibrancy and community back to the streets. She graduated from 果冻影院 in 2015 with an MSc in Urban Studies.聽

Petra was named in the 2016 BigHospitality Power List 100 and Time Out鈥檚 2018 list of 鈥�50 Londoners who make the city awesome鈥�.

Now, we鈥檙e delighted to welcome Petra to the Board of Trustees for . 鈥淚n a world where students are looking to feel connected to something tangible, especially during the pandemic, I鈥檓 excited to bring a bit of KERB mentality to the Union,鈥� says Petra. 鈥淐reating connection through food, and through spaces where people can come together over a shared love of food.鈥澛�

From the van to the streets聽

Petra graduated with a BA in American Studies from the University of Manchester in 1995. In the years between then and the 鈥榓ha moment鈥� that led her to 果冻影院, and eventually to set up KERB, she took to the road in Britain鈥檚 first dedicated chocolate van.聽

鈥淢y business was called Choc Star. I was driving the van for four years and loving it. But then I started to get bored,鈥� says Petra. It was a fateful event in Barking, east London, that got her nose twitching for her next passion project.聽

She says: 鈥淚 remember very clearly. My co-worker Bella and I were chatting about the culture of Barking, and Bella mentioned urbanism and this book called Delirious New York by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. I found it absolutely fascinating.鈥澛�

Petra went down a rabbit hole that led her straight to Urban Studies at 果冻影院. 鈥淚 realised 鈥榯his is the next thing I鈥檝e got to do鈥�. I鈥檝e always loved cities and how populations shift 鈥� there鈥檚 personality in places. I鈥檇 already started my Street Food Collective by this point, but everything around food and cities then slipped into place in my mind.鈥�

Defining your space and giving something back聽

Petra believes her time at 果冻影院 was instrumental in her business. She visited New Orleans for her dissertation research, and got a chance to experience the food culture there. And on her first day of the course, Petra sat next to Ian Dodds, who would go on to become KERB鈥檚 brand director.聽

She says: 鈥淚 hoped I鈥檇 get a job through the course because I was ready to jump ship from my van. But it actually renewed my energy and vision to practically apply what I was learning in my own way.

鈥淭he whole course was about putting the academic world into the real world in an interesting way, and for me, that鈥檚 how academia should be. It really gave me the intelligence and the ethos I needed to start KERB.鈥澛�

Since launching in 2012 at King鈥檚 Cross, the organisation has grown into a thriving community of food entrepreneurs, and hosts packed street food markets serving over 10,000 dishes a week across the capital. KERB also opened a permanent residence at Seven Dials market in 2019.聽

After years of developing KERB, Petra reconnected with 果冻影院 in 2019 when she spoke at the Bartlett School鈥檚 Graduation at the Royal Festival Hall. Fast-forward to 2020 and Petra has recently been appointed to the Union Board of Trustees. 鈥淚 want to look at how we can bridge the gap and dissolve the barrier between academia and work. I'd love to input on how to best connect entrepreneurial students with businesses.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 also how we make the union more loveable and more cherished. With the cafes in particular, how do we bring in interesting food offers and just make things more compelling?鈥�

Carol Paige, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Students' Union 果冻影院, says: 鈥淲e are delighted to have Petra join our Board. Her passion and commitment towards decolonising food really stood out for us and aligned with our values. As well as being an integral part of our governance, Petra will also be bringing her fresh energy and ideas to help us develop our commercial strategy which will make sure that Students鈥� Union 果冻影院 remains the place where more happens.鈥�

Moving forward聽

Along with her involvement with the Union, Petra is excited to take KERB to the world. In January 2021, KERB Classroom launches 鈥� an eight-week, online course to help people get their food ideas off the ground. This is another step for the organisation to help promote success for young, independent businesses.聽

鈥淲hat I鈥檇 say to 果冻影院 students and new graduates is to define your own success,鈥� says Petra. 鈥淚t took me a long time to realise that success is not what someone else tells you it is. It鈥檚 what makes you tick and what energises you.聽

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to know where it鈥檚 going to go exactly. You just have to listen and trust yourself.鈥澛�

Interested in giving back to the 果冻影院 community? Explore our volunteering opportunities.