Leggett “In the Kitchen” to Announce First Stage of Montgomery CountyKitchen Incubator Project; Goal: Helping Start-Up Food Entrepreneurs

   

 

Leggett “In the Kitchen” to Announce First Stage of Montgomery County Kitchen Incubator Project;

Goal: Helping Start-Up Food Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, October 29; 10 a.m.

Universities at Shady Grove, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Building II,

Marriott Teaching Kitchen, in Rockville

County Executive Isiah Leggett will announce the kick-off of Montgomery County’s kitchen incubator project at the Marriott Teaching Kitchen at the Universities at Shady Grove on Wednesday.

Envisioned as a way to help entrepreneurs take advantage of the growing demand for artisan food and the expanding buy-local movement, the kitchen incubator will provide equipment and workspace, technical and business training and help companies gain access to new markets.

Leggett will be joined by Karen Roberts of Karen Kay Cakes, Jonas Singer of Union Kitchen (which is already engaged in a similar project in D.C.), Stewart Edelstein of the Universities at Shady Grove, County Chief Innovation Officer Dan Hoffman and Economic Development Director Steve Silverman.

“This facility will foster the growth of small businesses and provide new workforce opportunities for our residents. Part of what makes this project so special to me, personally, is that it represents our commitment to creating economic opportunities for all facets of Montgomery County,” said Leggett.

“We frequently get calls from people who have a family recipe or a special culinary skill that they want to scale into something bigger. In addition to space, they really need business questions to be answered and mentoring from experts in the field,” said Steve Silverman, the county’s economic development director.

Silverman says the kitchen incubator will build local entrepreneurs’ capacity to respond to the demand for locally produced goods.

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Contact: Patrick Lacefield 240-777-6507

Dan Hoffman 240-777-2553