diff --git a/workspaces/controller/Makefile b/workspaces/controller/Makefile
index 6032c8c91..a905e2582 100644
--- a/workspaces/controller/Makefile
+++ b/workspaces/controller/Makefile
@@ -63,6 +63,37 @@ vet: ## Run go vet against code.
 test: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
 	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(shell $(ENVTEST) use $(ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION) --bin-dir $(LOCALBIN) -p path)" go test $$(go list ./... | grep -v /e2e) -coverprofile cover.out
 
+# Sets up a local Kubernetes cluster using Kind.
+# By default:
+#   - The cluster name is read from the `name:` field in the Kind config file (CONFIG_FILE).
+#   - cert-manager is installed automatically.
+#   - metrics-server is installed automatically (can be disabled).
+# Variables you can override:
+#   - CONFIG_FILE:        Path to your Kind config file.
+#   - CLUSTER_NAME:       Cluster name (overrides the name from the config file).
+#   - INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER: Set to false to skip metrics-server installation.
+# Usage examples:
+#   make setup-kind-cluster
+#   make setup-kind-cluster CONFIG_FILE=utils/configs/my-config.yaml
+#   make setup-kind-cluster CLUSTER_NAME=my-cluster
+#   make setup-kind-cluster INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER=false
+INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER ?= true
+CONFIG_FILE := utils/configs/kind-notebooks-config.yaml
+DEFAULT_CLUSTER_NAME := $(shell grep '^name:' $(CONFIG_FILE) | awk '{print $$2}')
+CLUSTER_NAME ?= $(DEFAULT_CLUSTER_NAME)
+.PHONY: setup-kind-cluster
+setup-kind-cluster:
+	KIND_EXPERIMENTAL_PROVIDER=$(CONTAINER_TOOL) kind delete cluster --name $(CLUSTER_NAME) || true
+	KIND_EXPERIMENTAL_PROVIDER=$(CONTAINER_TOOL) kind create cluster --name $(CLUSTER_NAME) --config=$(CONFIG_FILE)
+	./utils/scripts/install_cert_manager.sh
+ifeq ($(INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER),true)
+	./utils/scripts/install_metrics_server.sh
+else
+	@echo "--- Skipping metrics-server installation (INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER set to $(INSTALL_METRICS_SERVER)) ---"
+endif
+	@echo "--- Setting the current context to $(CLUSTER_NAME) cluster ---"
+	kubectl config set-context kind-$(CLUSTER_NAME) --namespace=workspace-controller-system
+
 # The default setup assumes Kind is pre-installed and builds/loads the Manager Docker image locally.
 # Prometheus and CertManager are installed by default; skip with:
 # - PROMETHEUS_INSTALL_SKIP=true
diff --git a/workspaces/controller/utils/configs/kind-notebooks-config.yaml b/workspaces/controller/utils/configs/kind-notebooks-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c0833edc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspaces/controller/utils/configs/kind-notebooks-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Cluster
+apiVersion: kind.x-k8s.io/v1alpha4
+name: kind-notebooks
+nodes:
+- role: control-plane
+- role: worker
diff --git a/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_cert_manager.sh b/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_cert_manager.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..12816d001
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_cert_manager.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+echo "--- Installing cert-manager ---"
+kubectl apply -f https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/releases/latest/download/cert-manager.yaml
+
+kubectl wait --for=condition=Available deployment/cert-manager -n cert-manager --timeout=300s
+
+VERSION=$(kubectl get deployment cert-manager -n cert-manager -o jsonpath="{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}" | cut -d: -f2)
+echo "Cert Manager installed. Version: $VERSION"
diff --git a/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_metrics_server.sh b/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_metrics_server.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..bd8292dc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspaces/controller/utils/scripts/install_metrics_server.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+echo "--- Installing metrics-server ---"
+kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/metrics-server/releases/latest/download/components.yaml
+
+#Do not verify the CA of serving certificates presented by Kubelets. For testing purposes only.
+kubectl patch deployment metrics-server --namespace kube-system --type='json' --patch='[{"op": "add", "path": "/spec/template/spec/containers/0/args/-", "value": "--kubelet-insecure-tls"}]'
+
+kubectl wait --for=condition=Available deployment/metrics-server -n kube-system --timeout=300s
+
+VERSION=$(kubectl get deployment metrics-server -n kube-system -o jsonpath="{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}" | cut -d: -f2)
+echo "Metrics Server installed. Version: $VERSION"