The Burnt Chef Project
The Burnt Chef Project is a UK social enterprise providing mental health support, an industry-specific EAP, and an e-learning academy to hospitality businesses and workers, funded via B2B sponsorship tiers, per-employee EAP licensing, merchandise, and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCastle Cary, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Burnt Chef Project does
The Burnt Chef Project is a UK-registered private social enterprise (Company Reg: 12472396) founded in 2019 and headquartered in Castle Cary, Somerset, that provides mental health education, support, and resources purpose-built for the hospitality and leisure industry. Its core platform comprises four sub-brands: The Burnt Chef Support Service (free 24/7 text-based crisis support), The Burnt Chef Academy (free e-learning platform with 26+ modules on suicide awareness, bullying, financial health, menopause, sleep, and mental health awareness, delivered via web and native iOS/Android apps), the Thrive Mental Wellbeing / Global EAP Scheme (a hospitality-specific Employee Assistance Programme priced at £5 per employee per year, offering 24/7 clinical support in 27 languages and therapy via video, call, and face-to-face), and The Burnt Chef Journal Podcast (weekly podcast on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube). The organisation also runs Workplace Training Programmes (Mental Health First Aid, Resilience Workshops, Menopause for Managers, Wellbeing Champion courses) and an International Ambassador Scheme with 400+ trained volunteers across 184 countries.
The business operates a hybrid revenue model: B2B subscriptions drive the core — tiered sponsorship packages from £250 (Small Business) to £15,000 (Platinum) per year and per-employee EAP licensing — supplemented by a merchandise e-commerce store (100% of profits reinvested into free services) and public donations. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales targeting HR and operations leaders, community-led growth through 400+ international ambassadors, and self-serve digital access for individuals. The company is certified by Social Enterprise UK and People First Accredited, with media coverage across BBC, Guardian, Reuters, and Daily Mail, and reports 100+ companies empowered, 8,500+ people receiving free support, 100,000+ e-learning modules completed, and 35,000+ community members across its ecosystem.
The Burnt Chef Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Burnt Chef Project
- Legal name
- The Burnt Chef Project Ltd
- Website
- https://theburntchefproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Burnt Chef Project is a UK social enterprise providing mental health support, an industry-specific EAP, and an e-learning academy to hospitality businesses and workers, funded via B2B sponsorship tiers, per-employee EAP licensing, merchandise, and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Burnt Chef Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stress Management & Burnout Prevention Coaching (HSADAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mindfulness & Mental Wellbeing Experiences (Stress Management, Sleep Retreats, Coaching) (THAJAHAH)
Keywords
Where The Burnt Chef Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Castle Cary
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Burnt Chef Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Business Sponsorship Packages: Tiered sponsorship memberships for businesses (Small Business £250, Bronze £2,000, Silver £5,000, Gold £8,000, Platinum £15,000 per year) offering varying levels of training, branding, and event access.
- EAP Programme Licensing: Employee Assistance Programme sold to businesses at £5 per employee per year, providing 24/7 clinical support, therapy access, wellbeing app, and global EAP scheme.
- Merchandise Sales: Online store selling branded merchandise (coffee cups, chef jackets, aprons, notebooks, wristbands, gilets). 100% of profits reinvested into free support services.
- Donations: Public donations supporting ongoing costs of free therapy, education, and support services. Suggested amounts: £6 for text service, £60 for therapy, £150 for podcast production, £400 for college training, £16 for e-learning access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | EAP Programme - Enterprise |
| Subscription | Annual | Small Business Sponsorship |
| Subscription | Annual | Bronze Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Silver Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Gold Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Platinum Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Per-Person Annual Support |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
The Burnt Chef Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Burnt Chef Project is a UK-based social enterprise founded in 2019 that delivers mental health support, training, and resources focused on the hospitality industry. It offers free 24/7 text-based mental health support, a free e-learning Academy with 26+ modules, weekly podcast content, workplace training programmes, and a paid Global Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for hospitality businesses. The organisation also runs an international volunteer Ambassador network and sells branded merchandise to fund its charitable mission.
Product overview
The Burnt Chef Project is a certified social enterprise offering a unified portfolio of free and paid mental health services specifically designed for the hospitality industry. The core offering centers on three interconnected pillars: (1) The Burnt Chef Support Service providing free 24/7 crisis text support, (2) The Burnt Chef Academy delivering free e-learning training modules, and (3) The Global EAP Scheme for businesses seeking comprehensive employee wellbeing programs. Supporting these are Workplace Training Programs offering in-person/virtual courses, the Journal Podcast for awareness building, an International Ambassador Scheme with volunteers across 14+ countries, an Online Merchandise Store where profits fund free services, and Business Partnership Packages at various sponsorship tiers. The organization also provides free downloadable resources, a blog, and surveys/research reports, creating a comprehensive ecosystem addressing mental health from crisis support through prevention education to workplace culture transformation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Burnt Chef Academy: Free e-learning platform offering 26+ mental health and wellbeing modules for hospitality professionals
- The Burnt Chef Journal Podcast
- The Burnt Chef Support Service
- Thrive Mental Wellbeing
Products and services
- The Burnt Chef Support Service
- The Burnt Chef Academy
- The Burnt Chef Journal Podcast
- Global EAP Scheme
- Workplace Training Programmes
- The Burnt Chef Merchandise Store
- International Ambassador Scheme
Quantifiable outcome
- 4 out of 5 hospitality professionals report experiencing mental health challenges during their career
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Burnt Chef Project
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
The Burnt Chef Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Burnt Chef Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Delaware NorthcoreStrategic partnership for Thrive Mental Wellbeing Support providing mental health support to Delaware North teams across their venues globally.
- Restaurants CanadacoreCanadian hospitality association partnership to extend mental health support and education to Canadian hospitality workers.
- Nestle ProfessionalminorCorporate partner supporting mental health initiatives in hospitality through marketing and promotional activities.
- MarstonscorePub company partnership providing EAP services and mental health training to staff.
- PLG (People & Learning Group)minorLearning and development partner for distributing training content to hospitality workforce.
- Craft Guild of ChefscoreCulinary guild partnership for industry advocacy and chef community outreach.
- The BelfrycoreLuxury hotel partnership for staff mental health training and EAP implementation.
- CaterforceminorCatering supply partner for industry network access and marketing.
- UnoxminorCommercial kitchen equipment manufacturer partnership for industry outreach and fundraising.
- Liberation GroupcoreIsland-based hospitality group partnership for mental health support services.
- Ask ItaliancoreRestaurant chain partnership for manager mental health awareness training.
- CEDAminorCatering Equipment Distributors Association partnership for industry distribution.
- ISS WorldcoreGlobal facility management company partnership for employee wellbeing services.
- Salon CulinaireminorCulinary competition partnership for industry visibility and outreach.
- British Culinary FederationcoreCulinary federation partnership for chef community mental health advocacy.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Burnt Chef Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Spring Health: Enterprise mental health benefits provider combining EAP, therapy, coaching, and medication management. Comparable B2B mental health platform with overlapping product architecture and enterprise GTM.
- Headspace: B2B digital mental health and meditation platform selling subscriptions to employers including hospitality operators. Comparable as a fast-growing digital mental health platform competing for the same enterprise mental health budget, though without hospitality-specific specialization.
- Lyra Health: Mental health benefits platform delivering therapy, coaching, and EAP services to enterprise customers. Comparable B2B mental health platform with similar therapy + coaching + content product structure targeting employers.
- Modern Health: Global mental health platform for employers providing EAP, therapy, coaching, and wellbeing programs. Comparable as an enterprise-focused mental health platform with similar product mix (EAP + coaching + content) and overlapping buyer personas (HR/People teams).
Broad incumbents
- Bupa: Global health insurer and EAP provider with UK operations that sells mental health, wellbeing, and EAP programs to enterprise customers including hospitality operators. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise EAP wallet with much larger scale and distribution.
- Vitality: UK health and wellbeing insurer with employer/group programmes that include mental health and EAP-style services for corporate clients. Comparable incumbent offering overlapping enterprise wellbeing benefits including mental health support.
- LifeWorks (TELUS Health): Global EAP and total wellbeing provider serving large enterprises across multiple verticals including hospitality. Comparable broad incumbent with established multilingual EAP, therapy, and wellbeing platform.
- AXA Health: UK health insurance and employee assistance provider offering EAP and mental health services to corporate clients including hospitality groups. Comparable generalist EAP incumbent competing on similar enterprise HR/wellbeing RFPs.
Direct peers
- Hospitality Action: UK charity dedicated to the welfare of hospitality workers, offering mental health, physical health, financial, and addiction support. Directly comparable as the other UK hospitality-specialist mental health organization with overlapping service lines (crisis support, EAP-like services, training).
Others
- Mind (the mental health charity): UK mental health charity providing information, resources, and workplace wellbeing programmes. Comparable as a mission-driven, UK-headquartered mental health organization that also serves individuals and corporate partners, though broader than hospitality specifically.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Burnt Chef Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Burnt Chef Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Burnt Chef Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Burnt Chef Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Burnt Chef Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Burnt Chef Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Burnt Chef Project
What does The Burnt Chef Project do?
The Burnt Chef Project is a UK-based social enterprise founded in 2019 that delivers mental health support, training, and resources focused on the hospitality industry. It offers free 24/7 text-based mental health support, a free e-learning Academy with 26+ modules, weekly podcast content, workplace training programmes, and a paid Global Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for hospitality businesses. The organisation also runs an international volunteer Ambassador network and sells branded merchandise to fund its charitable mission.
Is The Burnt Chef Project a public or private company?
The Burnt Chef Project is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Burnt Chef Project founded?
The Burnt Chef Project was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Burnt Chef Project based?
The Burnt Chef Project is headquartered in Castle Cary, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Burnt Chef Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Business Sponsorship Packages are the primary driver. The others are EAP Programme Licensing, merchandise Sales and donations.
Who are The Burnt Chef Project's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Spring Health, Headspace, Lyra Health and Modern Health. Broad incumbents are Bupa, Vitality, LifeWorks (TELUS Health) and AXA Health. Hospitality Action is listed as a direct peer. Mind (the mental health charity) is listed as an others.
Does The Burnt Chef Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Burnt Chef Project.
What industry is The Burnt Chef Project in?
The Burnt Chef Project's product category is Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAGAD, Stress Management & Burnout Prevention Coaching, with a secondary code of THAJAHAH, Mindfulness & Mental Wellbeing Experiences (Stress Management, Sleep Retreats, Coaching).