By Karen Edwards
Have you noticed a proliferation of new, good-for-you foods showing up at local groceries and farm markets? If so, it’s no accident.
A sagging economy has spurred a rise in “small food” entrepreneurs—talented local cooks and bakers who are stepping from home kitchens into commercial kitchens and bringing their homemade artisanal specialties to market.
Start-up companies often can’t afford to create their own commercial kitchens, but here in LA they can rent one. Chef’s Kitchens—sometimes called a shared kitchen or “culinary incubator”—has been operating in Los Angeles for 15 years and has five kitchens available. Three are for general use; one is reserved for raw and vegan preparation; and another kitchen is strictly for pastry chefs.
Ariane Resnick operates her healthy snack-food business, Rawk ‘n’ Roll Cuisine, out of the raw and vegan kitchen. After losing her job as general manager of a local raw food restaurant, Resnick, an avid home cook, worked briefly as a private chef. “Clients told me my Notchos kale chips were good enough to sell,” she says, so she made a batch and approached natural-food giant Erewhon. After selling out of her product in days, the store became a regular buyer. Resnick now has a distributor who is taking her chips and other products to dozens of markets.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Marighetto and Amy Alexander started Not Your Uncle Bob’s Bakery out of the incubator’s pastry kitchen. The bakery fills the niche for healthy desserts, explains Marighetto, a former nutrition counselor, and produces four varieties of all-natural vegan cookies, which are sold in upscale coffee shops. “The Chef’s Kitchens allowed us to start slowly, and test our product,” says Marighetto.
Beyond the convenience, there’s a nice sense of community at the kitchens. The camaraderie of working with other food entrepreneurs helps, says Alexander. “We’re all on the same road. If we can help each other, we do.”
Whether you have a brilliant plan for the next edible sensation or simply enjoy preparing food for friends and aren’t quite sure if you’re ready to start a business, it’s easy to get a foot in the door and a finger in the bowl. With insurance, a food handlers certificate and $35, you can register online at chefskitchens.com. Applications are typically processed within two days, and you’re ready to don your toque.
Once you start working on site, you’ll pay a small deposit plus an hourly fee. Fortunately, the kitchens are open 24/7, so you can use your day job paycheck to cover the modest costs till you’re ready to go full time.
For more info or to arrange a tour, call 310.837.8900 or e-mail info@chefskitchens.com.
