Kitchen
Shared commercial kitchens help keep costs in line
HUBS FOR HIRE BY KATHY JONAS | GRAPHICS BY CARYN SCHEVING
inda Gilkerson of Indy’s Kitchen is not a chef or a baker. She opened Indy’s Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen, to help other small businesses enter the burgeoning local food market. And Gina Zieniewicz, who makes her mother’s Italian biscotti, opened a shared commercial kitchen when she and her sisters couldn’t find one that met their needs. Rita Franco accidentally got into the shared kitchen business when she moved into her stepfather’s space in Irvington to do a Mexican carryout business—La Mexi Gringa. While doing that, she ended up renting space, which eventually let to her starting her own shared commercial kitchen as she discovered she is passionate about helping others. She hopes to open another kitchen on the city’s south side, too. These small business owners are part of a growing trend of kitchen incubators that allow food trucks, caterers, chefs and farmers’ market vendors to share space in a fully equipped commercial kitchen, licensed and inspected by the state or county health departments, where they can manufacture their products and take them to market in accordance with Indiana state laws. While a 2009 Indiana law allows some home food operations for specific foods sold at farmers’ markets or roadside stands, most food businesses must use an inspected commercial kitchen to prepare food, according to Janelle Kaufman, food and consumer safety administrator at the Marion County Public Health Department. “Churches have a lot of potential for shared kitchens,” Kaufman said. There are a few churches are on the list of shared Marion County kitchens. Linda Dernier of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church says they opened a commercial kitchen in 2011 after receiving a matching grant. Renters include a bakery owned by a parishioner. One of the great benefits of shared commercial kitchens is cost. Julie Davis of Your Budget Catering has been working out of Indy’s Kitchen since 2012. She estimates it would have cost her $75,000 to $100,000 to open her own kitchen. “The environment is fantastic,” she says. While she eventually wants her own location, she adds that Indy’s Kitchen is allowing her to succeed now. In April of 2015, CookSpring opened in Fort Wayne with a goal of helping start-ups eventually become self-sustaining, according to Spencer Mize, Director of Advancement at The Summit, which is home to CookSpring. “A lot of people are good at cooking but not at business plans,” he says. There are many reasons why new businesses use shared commercial kitchens. It’s less risky than investing in one’s own commercial kitchen when the business is just starting up, and it avoids or delays the challenge of obtaining all the necessary permits. These kitchens are a huge help to entrepreneurs, businesses and the communities that benefit from the depth of goods produced at them.
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For specific questions about permits, food safety and/or health issues, consult your local county health department or the Indiana State Department of Health’s Food Protection program’s website at in.gov/isdh. Kathy Jonas is a freelance writer who recently worked as managing editor of WeddingDay magazine in northern Indiana and Indianapolis. She is a diehard Indiana University fan and she and her husband (and one very spoiled hound) spend as much time as possible at their condo on Lake Monroe. 40
edible INDY food start-up boot camp issue 2016
Some of the public kitchens in Central Indiana and other surrounding cities Indy’s Kitchen 2442 N. Central Ave., Indianapolis Contact person: Linda Gilkerson 317.426.2996, IndysKitchen.com Opened in 2010 Hourly rate: $20 for off-peak; $24 for peak; other charges for storage The Flippin’ Kitchen (Allicarte Catering) 6129 E. Washington St., Indianapolis Contact person: Rita Franco 317.414.7990, Facebook: The-Flippin-Kitchen Opened in 2015 No hourly rates/shifts and monthly rates Northwood Christian Church 4550 Central Ave., Indianapolis Contact person: Sherrie Proctor 317.283.1352, IndyNCC.org Opened in 2015 Hourly rate: $10 ($50 month minimum) St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church 8320 E. 10th St., Indianapolis Contact person: Linda Dernier 317.898.7807, StMattsIndy.org Opened in 2011 Hourly rate: $15; additional storage fees Carmel’s Kitchen 1025 W. Main St., Carmel Contact person: Stephanie Lewis 317.714.1198, CarmelsKitchen.com Opened in 2010 Hourly rates: $20 for off-peak; $25 for peak; additional storage charges CookSpring Fort Wayne 1025 W. Rudisill Blvd., Fort Wayne Contact person: Spencer Mize 260.446.3200, CookSpringFortWayne.com Opened in 2015 Hourly rates: $17.50 (based on membership) Nana Clare’s Kitchen 3907 Calumet Ave., Valparaiso Contact person: Gina Zieniewicz 219.286.3645, NanaClares.com Opened in 2012 Hourly rates: $24 and lower, varying The Ohio River Valley Food Venture 975 Industrial Dr., Ste. 1, Madison Contact person: Samantha Pierce 812.273.6510, VentureOutBusinessCenter.com Opened in 2005 Hourly rate: $25; other charges for storage
