KitchenTown is food incubator in San Mateo that opened in the early fall with the goal of giving kitchen-startups a space to get their businesses off the ground. The idea is simple: a small-batch producer applies to use KitchenTown’s industrial, cooperative kitchen to make its products.
But the space is more than just a stainless-steel warehouse of ovens and mixers. The lobby area is an artisan-style cafe, filled with local goodies (many made by the in-house producers) and a flannel-wearing barista who recently discovered his life’s passion is bread.
Co-founded by Alberto Solis and Rusty Schwartz in a converted cookie-factory, KitchenTown’s goal is to give these small-batch producers the resources they need to get their products out there. With projects ranging from chocolate, almond milk, salsa and even pre-packaged meals for athletes, a variety of producers have spent time in the oven at KitchenTown.
