The saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" has a more positive connotation for
Kitchen in the Market since the chef's collective moved to its new 1,550-square-foot space in Minneapolis'
Midtown Global Market in February.
Kitchen in the Market was born in a 400-square-foot space at the Global Market in 2007 out of a need for affordable shared commercial kitchen space, says manager and owner Molly Hermann, who also runs
Tastebud Catering.
After two and a half years at capacity with a waiting list and low turnover, Kitchen in the Market was bursting at its seams. The new space is quadruple the size of the old one and allows more than twice the number of chefs to rent; the number grew from nine to 17 with the move, and more are expected.
Midtown Global Market invested over $100,000 in the new space. Hermann says the City of Minneapolis approached her about the low-interest loans that financed about half of the cost, the other half coming from the Neighborhood Development Center.
The move is more than just a physical expansion. Kitchen in the Market incorporated as a business and added a more formalized cooking class space that allows
new and more classes and events.
While the expanded space has improved Kitchen in the Market as an entity, its core benefit remains the availability of affordable commercial space for the caterers and chefs that rent there.
"It definitely allows them to grow their businesses," says Hermann, adding that it's a great opportunity for startups with low overhead. The chefs not only share equipment and resources, they use each other as a network.
"I think all of us have benefited in a lot of different ways from being in the same kitchen," Hermann says.
Source: Molly Hermann, Kitchen in the Market
Writer: Jeremy Stratton