So...what exactly is a Shared Commissary Kitchen anyway?

When I tell people about Craftwork Kitchen Collective, they're usually really positive about my enthusiasm-- "Wow! That sounds incredible, go you!". Then, they're immediately confused and I usually get the question, "Um...what is a shared commissary kitchen?"

According to The Food Corridor's Shared Kitchen Toolkit,

Shared kitchens are licensed commercial spaces that provide a pathway for food entrepreneurs-- ranging from chefs, caterers, food truck operators, and bakers, to value-added producers and packaged food and beverage makers-- to launch and grow their businesses.

When I first started to envision what my business would look like, I thought I'd struck oil. Surely no one had ever thought of combining their love of community-focused spaces with their knowledge of the food & beverage industry, customer service experience, branding experience, and coworking community management experience, right?! Well, wrong, but that's probably for the best.

All around the US, these businesses have popped up with the goal of providing affordable spaces, building community, and growing local food systems. The food industry is ever-growing, ever-changing and this model supports that in ways that opening an independent restaurant simply can't. Even renting an existing kitchen from a restauranteur or caterer friend can be more costly and provide less-than-ideal experiences for a food-focused entrepreneur.

Could a place exist where we could meet the practical needs of food trucks, home bakers, caterers, and people packaging food for the retail market while also offering opportunities for collaboration, a place to host a pop up, film a YouTube tutorial, sit in a quiet space to make a schedule for the week, or host a team meeting? A kitchen, fully outfitted with everything you’d need to bring about the most epic dishes of all time but with cozy enough corners where you can chill out after selling out at the farmers’ market and plan what’s next while you unplug? 

Craftwork Kitchen Collective seeks to do just that in Springfield, MO, in 2024. Watch this space!