This year marks the ten year anniversary of Findlay Kitchen and the ten year anniversary of Findlay Market’s Food Innovation Program! Since opening our doors in 2016, we’ve been busy. Findlay Kitchen has helped over 300 food entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale their businesses, with a specific focus on supporting minority, women, and immigrant entrepreneurs who face higher barriers to entry in the restaurant industry.

From this inaugural program, Food Innovation at Findlay Market grew. 

Findlay Learn began as a way to connect entrepreneurs to the knowledge, support, and access to opportunities needed at the beginning of their business journey. We’ve had more than 150 businesses enroll in classes.

Findlay Launch was started as a residency-based program giving real time experience to food-related retail and restaurant concepts. So far, we’ve spent nearly 100 hours in 1:1 mentoring sessions with residents.

These programs are working. Market favorite, Pho Lang Thang, utilized Findlay Kitchen to scale their broth production and open lunchtime service before they had their own kitchen space. James Beard nominated Chef Jeffery Harris enrolled in Findlay Learn’s Growing Into A Storefront course to learn the in’s and out’s of brick-and-mortar restaurants before opening the wildly successful Nolia. The Empanada’s Box learned by doing in the Findlay Launch residency, and now have established locations throughout the region. We have hundreds of stories like these – meeting food entrepreneurs where they are, offering opportunities and connections, and watching them make our region more vibrant, more welcoming, and certainly more delicious.

In order to take Food Innovation at Findlay Market to the next level, we have identified that scholarships are a game changer. Scholarships give an advantage to the next generation of minority food entrepreneurs, in what is otherwise a nearly impossible industry, by helping to cover expenses that often force people to quit before they’ve even gotten started – things like pricey equipment, hourly Findlay Kitchen time, business courses, and more needs unique to each business. 

Here are what a few past scholarship recipients have to say about the support they’ve received:
 

“I feel so grateful to receive a Findlay Kitchen Scholarship. I have a chance to see my project come to life and that is just so cool! I think I’m most excited about being able to see my finished product and get it on a grocery store shelf. With these funds, I’ll be able to make that happen.” Jackie Djordjevic • Heirloom Chef

“It feels great to have my hard work recognized and to have people support my goals. I’m excited to use this scholarship opportunity to help learn more and grow my business.” Pativath Louprasong • Lotus Street Food

“Findlay Kitchen has helped our business by providing a cost-friendly environment to produce our products. It has also helped us network with other small businesses that we otherwise wouldn't come in contact with.” Jayni Walker • Chamaele

“Growing our customer base and getting our name, our brand out there helped us tremendously throughout our time in the Findlay Launch program.” Jillian Adams • Eliza Jane’s BakeShop

To date, Findlay Market has granted scholarships to more than a dozen food entrepreneurs, which has lowered barriers and helped them achieve their dreams, contributed to a more vibrant local economy, and showcased what can happen when we invest in people. 

The first ten years of the Food Innovation program has been a resounding success. Help us ensure that the next ten years are just as bright by donating today.