Photo by Ethan Duran
UpStart Kitchen, a rentable commercial space serving as an incubator for small businesses in Milwaukee’s Northwest side, officially opened in Sherman Park last week. While members from county, city and philanthropy groups spoke outside at the opening press conference, entrepreneurs worked diligently in the kitchen to create a wide variety of foods to cater the event.
Photo by Ethan Duran
The kitchen is owned and operated by Prism Economic Development Corporation, which aims to help low and moderate entrepreneurs grow to address racial and economic disparity in the city. CEO Walter Harvey started off the ceremony with an old proverb adjusted to outline UpStart Kitchen’s purpose. “If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach him how to fish, he can eat for a lifetime,” said Harvey. “But if you empower him or her to own and operate their own businesses, they can not only eat for a lifetime, but they can feed an entire village, and reproduce that for many generations.”
County Executive David Crowley, Housing First coordinator Luke Rosynek, chief advocate officer of Ascension Wisconsin Reggie Newson, CEO Missy Hughes of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and CEO Dan Bader of Bader Philanthropies all took turns speaking on the stage. “I’m excited to see UpStart Kitchen up and running,” said Hughes. “This project fulfills one of our most important goals: making sure all of Wisconsin’s entrepreneurs have the resources to thrive in every part of our state.”
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Combatting a Problem
Newson said that Ascension Wisconsin would donate $50,000 to UpStart Kitchen to combat food insecurity on opening day. The money would go to local food pantries providing meals for those facing food insecurity in the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the small business owners working in the kitchen on UpStart’s first day were just starting out in their ventures, though most had been cooking on their own for years before that. Many of these fledgling businesses are catering groups or food truck owners with little prior business experience.
Nesha Beamon, owner of Pound 4 Pound Cakes, said she found boxes of hand-written recipes after cleaning out her grandmother’s house, who passed in 2007. “When I opened it, I heard it.” said Beamon as she told her story. “It was her signature sour cream pound cake.”
Beamon worked with Patricia Jones, the kitchen manager, to get her catering business of the ground. “It was like heaven-sent,” said Beamon. “[Jones] helps with licenses, she’s helping with all the paperwork that’s needed. Hopefully, this business will grow into its full potential.”
Photo by Ethan Duran
Healthy Food for Preschoolers
On the other side of the building, Brien Roufus and Destiny Davis worked over a stainlessp-steel tabletop, covering pieces of chicken with pretzel crumbs and rolling mashed cauliflower balls to make tater tots with. The two run Tiny Bites, a catering service that offers healthy food to inner city preschools and daycares. So far, the company has a contract with one daycare center.
“We’re trying to bring health-conscious, organic food to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have that option,” Davis said. “We’ve seen what food deserts do and how people don’t have local groceries stores that are close to them. Then they rely on corner stores and gas stations for food.” Roufus recalls visiting a daycare owned by Davis’ family and watching parents give their kids Cheeto puffs and juices loaded with corn syrup. “It crushed our hearts seeing these kids are going to continue to not grow eating what’s essentially not food. So, we’re going to try to convert that.”
A comprehensive list of businesses working with UpStart Kitchen’s has been posted here, but any licensed food business can fill out an application to rent out space by the hour. Jones says that there’s a lot of people on the wait list, but UpStart Kitchen helps new applicants acquiring proper licensing.
Pricing is based on location. For example, a proprietor in the 53202, 53214 or the 53206 zip codes would only pay $14 an hour to use the equipment and space that UpStart Kitchen offers. Other Milwaukee county residents outside of the city will pay $16 an hour, and those outside the county will pay $18.
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