PUEBLO, Colo. — Fuel Kitchens is a new space in Pueblo where bakers and manufacturers can cook, prepare and package food. Steel City's first full-fledged commercial shared kitchen.
The space is divided into three parts. There is a bakery where you can prepare bread, pastries and cakes, a sauté kitchen and a large area for washing dishes.
Pueblo's local food entrepreneurs, catering companies, and food trucks can now use this kitchen to start or grow their businesses.
“I'm so excited to be here today,” said Lisa Encraid, owner of the catering business Encraid Taste of New Orleans. “I'm passionate about it and I love eating. I love cooking.”
Enclade's operated as a restaurant on Fourth Street in Pueblo for seven years.
“Then I lost two star employees in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. So it's kind of hard to introduce people who make roux,” Encraid said.
Lacking suitable employees, Encraid was forced to close shop and switch to catering, but there was another obstacle. Where was she going to prepare all the food?
“We waited and waited and waited and couldn't find the right location. And while I was talking to Dillon, he said, 'They're going to open a commissary kitchen,' and I said, ' What?” I thought. And it was there,” Enclade said.
Encraid said Fuel Kitchens has helped her get back to business.
“There's a lot of things that are limited when you're trying to run a business out of your home, just warehouses and freezers. So this is really, really the best thing,” Encraid said.
Jolene Collins is Director of Operations and Instruction at Fuel Kitchens. Collins said the 3,000-square-foot kitchen will allow 10 makers to cook and prepare at once.
“We have a special software program that allows manufacturers to schedule time on a calendar, so they know who is using the kitchen when and with what equipment, which helps people share space.” said Collins. .
Collins said health and safety is the top priority.
“First of all, we require all of our manufacturers to come on board with some pretty advanced food safety training, so this ensures that we are running our kitchens in a truly professional manner. This is the first step to confirm,” Collins said.
Every manufacturer is responsible for keeping their area clean and there are posters around the kitchen reminding them to do so.
“Then we perform a thorough cleaning and maintenance of all equipment,” Collins said.
Fuel kitchens are inspected by the health department.
“Each manufacturer will undergo their own testing depending on what kind of business they do and what products they make,” Collins said.
With manufacturers and bakeries already creating specialty dishes, Collins hopes the kitchen will enhance Pueblo's food culture.
“A space like this is going to unleash just that, food entrepreneurship, exactly the kind of enthusiasm that we often see in Pueblo. So we're really excited about people making food here,” Collins said. he said.
There is still room for businesses and local entrepreneurs to come and use this space. Sign up and learn more at his website at Fuel Kitchens.
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