Aspiring business owners with a passion for cooking now have professional resources in Sharpsburg.
Virginia-based Frontier Kitchen is a modern business incubator that helps entrepreneurs navigate the culinary world.
“Our mission is to help people achieve their entrepreneurial goals and create strong, sustainable companies,” said co-owner and CEO Brenda Cromer. said.
Our Sharpsburg facility provides the tools and space to make your food, as well as experts ready to advise you on marketing, understanding required certifications, and business training.
The building is located in the former Elks building at 2310-12 Main St. and offers 4,000 square feet of coworking space.
Joyce Hunts | TriLive
One of three commercial kitchens at Frontier Kitchen in Sharpsburg.
The business started on March 1st, and 13 members have registered so far.
“They're all food entrepreneurs, including caterers, food trucks and small-batch food producers,” Kitchen Director Jamie Walters said.
Frontier Kitchen members include food truck operations Alberta's, Red Eye BBQ and Black Cat Pizza, caterers Wild Onyinz and Maestro Italian, and protein prep delivery meal service Sustain Nutrition.
YeGa kimchi (a Korean fermented food) is the most recent member, and Walters said the former La Dorita's paved the way for Frontier Kitchen to continue the incubator concept.
Walters offered a tour Wednesday, which includes a hotline area with tables, commercial prep facilities, three kitchens, multiple storage spaces and conference rooms.
“The most exciting thing for us is helping people who are just getting started,” Walters says.
Janet Walters has worked as a regional district manager for 22 garden centers for over 13 years.
Full-time and part-time membership options range from $500 to $1,175 per month, with six- or 12-month commitments.
Food truck memberships are the least expensive option (approximately $500) and include access to Frontier Kitchen, which provides all waste disposal, sanitizing and dishwashing, and food storage as required by national health departments .
Anyone over the age of 18 can register as a member.
“Anyone who wants to start their own food business can join. The only requirement other than payment is that members provide proof of a legitimate business,” Walters said. “By providing business mentorship through our kitchen directors, we prepare them for independence.”
Joyce Hunts | TriLive
Frontier Kitchen Director Jamie Walters leads a tour of the Sharpsburg facility's commercial kitchen.
Walters, a Butler County native, enjoys the social environment provided by the shared kitchen.
“A big part of my job is helping members network,” Walters said.
Called Frontier Kitchen University and founded by chef and Frontier Kitchen co-owner Cassity Jones and Cromer, the university is a place where members learn the business tricks of opening a restaurant from concept to brick-and-mortar. Helpful.
According to a report by the American Small Business Association, food companies have the highest bankruptcy rate of any industry in the United States, with about half of new small businesses failing within five years.
At Frontier Kitchen University, our staff and their network of peers share mistakes they've made in the restaurant industry.
A la carte courses include Selling Early: Effectively Using Farmers' Markets for Success, Starting a Food Business, Menu Design and Product Development, Learning How to Make a Profit, and Obtaining a Food Business License.
Frontier Kitchen opened in La Dorita's, a former incubator kitchen owned by Josephine and Gaston O'Rear, who moved to Charleston, South Carolina from Pittsburgh several years ago.
La Dorita's announced in a Feb. 20 social media post that it was selling the kitchen to Frontier Kitchen.
“We are especially pleased to be able to leave Pittsburgh's food entrepreneurs in such great hands,” said Josephine O'Rear. “We waited three years to make sure we sold it to someone who would take over the kitchen. It's exactly what the community needs.”
Since opening in 2012, La Dorita's has helped and nurtured over 200 clients.
Members remain independent of Frontier Kitchen.
Additionally, Frontier Kitchen facilities are located in Chantilly and Lawton, Virginia.
Walters said the Sharpsburg location is undergoing renovations that will take about eight weeks to complete.
Plans include expanding the kitchen and storage room, creating new cold food preparation space, and renovating the cooler/fridge room.
“Our goal is to enroll a total of 40 members by the end of the year,” Walters said.
Joyce Hunts is a Charleston, South Carolina native and features reporter covering the Pittsburgh area. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a major in media arts. Contact her at jhanz@triblive.com.
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