Aspiring business owners with a passion for cooking now have a professional resource in Sharpsburg.
Virginia-based Frontier Kitchen is the newest business incubator assisting entrepreneurs in navigating the culinary world.
“Our mission is to empower people to achieve their entrepreneurial goals and create strong, sustainable companies,” said co-owner and CEO Brenda Cromer.
The Sharpsburg facility provides the tools and space for making food, along with experts at the ready to advise on marketing, understanding required certifications and business training.
The building is in a former Elks building at 2310-12 Main St. and offers 4,000 square feet of co-working space.
The business opened March 1 and to date has enrolled 13 members.
“They’re all food entrepreneurs that include caterers, food trucks and small-batch food producers,” said kitchen director Jamie Walters.
Frontier Kitchen members include food truck businesses Alberta’s, Red Eye BBQ and Black Cat Pizza, caterers Wild Onyinz and Maestro Italian and Sustain Nutrition, a protein-prep delivery meal service.
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 provided a tour Wednesday that included a hot line area featuring tables, a commercial prep facility, three kitchens, multiple storage spaces and a conference room.
“The most exciting part for us is helping people who are looking to get started,” Walters said.
Walters of Jeannette has more than 13 years working as a regional district manager for 22 gardening stores.
Full- and part-time membership options range from $500 to $1,175 monthly, with six- or 12-month contracts available.
A food truck membership is the least expensive option (around $500) and includes the use of Frontier Kitchen to handle all waste disposal, sanitizing and dishwashing and food storage, as required by health departments nationwide.
Anyone 18 and older can apply for membership.
“It’s open to anybody looking to start their own food business, and the only requirement besides payment is that the member must show proof of a legitimate business,” Walters said. “We get them prepared to be able to go out on their own by offering business mentorship through our kitchen directors.”
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Walters, originally from Butler County, enjoys the social environment offered in shared kitchens.
“My big thing is helping members with networking,” Walters said.
Dubbed Frontier Kitchen University and created by chef and Frontier Kitchen co-owner Cassity Jones and Cromer, it helps members learn the business ropes of opening a restaurant from concept to brick and mortar.
Food companies have the highest rate of failure of any industry in the U.S., with about half of all new small businesses failing in under five years, according to a report from the U.S. Small Business Association.
At Frontier Kitchen University, staff and their network of associates share mistakes made in the food service industry.
A la carte courses include Early Sales: Using a Farmer’s Market Effectively to Launch Your Success, Starting Your Food Business, Menu Design and Product Development, Learning How to Make a Profit and Licensing Your Food Business.
Frontier Kitchen opened inside the former incubator kitchen, La Dorita’s, owned by married couple Josephine and Gaston Oria, who relocated from Pittsburgh to Charleston, S.C., several years ago.
La Dorita’s announced the sale of the kitchen to Frontier Kitchen in a social media post Feb. 20.
“We’re especially happy that we’re leaving Pittsburgh food entrepreneurs in great hands,” Josephine Oria said. “I waited three years to make sure I sold it to someone that would carry on the kitchens. It’s such a community need.”
La Dorita’s has assisted and incubated more than 200 clients since opening in 2012.
Members remain independent from Frontier Kitchen.
Additionally, Frontier Kitchen facilities are in Chantilly and Lorton, Va.
Remodeling at the Sharpsburg location is in the works and will take about eight weeks to complete, Walters said.
Plans include expanding the kitchens and storage rooms, creating a new cold-food prep space and renovating the cooler/refrigerator rooms.
“Our goal is to enroll 40 total members by the end of the year,” Walters said.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com