DC Commercial Kitchen Matchmaking Event

Join us in-person on Wednesday, September 15 from 4 pm to 6 pm at the MLK Downtown Library for our first DC Commercial Kitchen Matchmaking Event. The goal of the event is to connect local food entrepreneurs with commercial kitchen operators to potentially find space to meet their needs. The event will include brief overview of available spaces; networking space with restaurants, commercial kitchen incubators, and other businesses with available commercial kitchen space; and technical assistance from DSLBD & LEDC staff.

This event is a collaboration between the DC Food Policy Council’s Entrepreneurship and Food Jobs Working Group, the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), and the Green Scheme.

We will enforce all current public health requirements at the event:

• Masks will be strictly required to enter this appointment and must be worn at all times in this or any other DC Library facility. Hand sanitizer is available at all library locations.

• See https://coronavirus.dc.gov/ for the latest District-wide public health updates and requirements. You can also check this site for information on where to access a vaccine.

DSLBD & LEDC will also be available earlier in the day from 10 am to 4 pm as part of their weekly technical assistance sessions on Wednesdays at the MLK Library. Sign up at https://bit.ly/TAATMLK for those sessions.

Register for the Commercial Kitchen Matchmaking Event today! We will be basing lots of the materials and matchmaking connections based on the results of the Commercial Kitchen Survey that you should complete here — https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6212822/FPC

If you are a business with available space or excess space capacity and you are interested in learning more about how space could be shared, please email us at inno.ed@dc.gov

FAQs:

Q1: I cannot attend in person; how can I participate?

A1: If you complete the survey, we can still connect you with potential spaces who present at the event.

Q2: What resources will DSLBD, LEDC, and the Food Policy Council provide to food businesses involved in sharing space?

A2: While DSLBD & LEDC both provide technical assistance to both space hosts and small food businesses, we are providing connections and conducting matchmaking with the goal of enabling more food businesses to access commercial kitchen space and enabling more food businesses to maintain their businesses.

Q3: As a food business, what can I expect from kitchen hosts? As a kitchen host, what would I need to offer?

A3: This is completely up to kitchen owners/operators. Some may offer promotion and advertising; some may offer on-site sales; some may offer licensing support; each offers various amounts of storage. The only guarantee to be shared is commercial kitchen space. Express your needs in the Kitchen Survey.

With more questions, email inno.ed@dc.gov