Hamilton's Own
Non-Profit Cooperative Culinary Incubator

When it comes to food, Hamilton is in the midst of a revolution! New restaurants, mobile food carts and trucks, and fantastic culinary events are popping up all over and helping to make the Hammer a great place to be. Many new chefs, bakers, and food artisans are looking for ways to launch their businesses in the Hammer, but starting up is still a daunting challenge for any entrepreneur.

That is where The Kitchen Collective comes in. We are a non-profit, affordable commercial kitchen and culinary incubator designed to give aspiring entrepreneurs a boost in the industry as well as a collaborative space in which to launch their business and learn from each other. As a co-operative, the Collective is owned and operated by its members, ensuring that the services provided are always in line with the needs of the membership.

The Kitchen Collective not only helps put amazing and delicious food into the hands of Hamiltonians, but creates new jobs, helps launch new and exciting culinary businesses, and assists in helping those businesses grow and connect to the Hamilton community.

What is The Kitchen Collective?

an inspected, approved, and fully-equipped commercial kitchen;

a space for starting or expanding food businesses without the expenses involved in building/equipping a private commercial kitchen;

a home base for mobile food businesses to prep their products and host temporary "pop-up" retail events, chefs to host workshops and tastings, and for any small local food producer to practice their craft and gain experience in the food industry;

a space where members can experiment, create, collaborate, and share;

Facilities

Located on a corner lot at 811 King Street East, our 2,700 square foot classic storefront space includes a cafe and an open kitchen area with 4 workstations available for booking.

The following equipment is shared with all members:

Prep Tables
Dishwasher
Fridge/Freezer/Dry/Garage Storage
Ice Maker
Pots, pans, sheet trays, etc.
20 and 60 qt Mixers
Proofer
3 convection ovens
Griddle
Flat Top
Range
Pizza oven
Vac sealer

Our Membership Levels

We have 3 entry membership levels, and 3 membership levels that are only available as upgrades.

Novice

Novice Members pay a one-time $300 membership fee to join. Their monthly fee is $170, which includes 10 hours of booking time and minimal onsite storage. If they exceed those included hours, they are billed at the end of the month at $18.50/hour. This is a 3-month minimum commitment. This is the level I would recommend for all new members!

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurial Members pay a one-time $750 membership fee to join. Their monthly fee is $400, which includes 30 hours and more permanent onsite storage. If they exceed those included hours in the month, they are billed at the end of the month at $12.75/hour. This is a 3-month minimum commitment.

Incubating

Incubating Members pay a one-time $750 membership fee to join. Their monthly fee is $600, which includes 50 hours and even more permanent onsite storage. If they exceed those included hours in the month, they are billed at the end of the month at $11.50/hour. This is a 6-month minimum commitment.

Core

Core Members pay a monthly fee of $1450, which includes 160 hours. They have the largest storage allotment, and priority access to all storage onsite unless it is assigned to another member. If they exceed those hours included in the month, they are billed at the end of the month at $11.50/hour.

There are only 2 Core Members at the kitchen at any given time, and Core Members must either upgrade, downgrade, or leave the Kitchen after 2 years at this level.

Residential

Residential Members pay a monthly rate of $1450, which includes 160 hours. If they exceed those hours included in the month, they are billed at the end of the month at $11.50/hour. They have all of the same storage privileges as a Core Member, but they also become the sole operator of the front-of-house space on King Street East, and have the ability to use that space without paying any hourly rate.

There is only one Residential member at any given time, and it is intended to be the final step for a growing business at The Kitchen Collective. Residential Members must either upgrade, downgrade, or leave the Kitchen after 2 years at this level.

Alumni

Alumni Members pay no fees, but retain a membership, the ability to make hourly bookings, and the ability to vote at Annual General Meetings.

Any member can downgrade to this level if they have completed the minimum commitment at an entry membership level in good standing and are no longer operating a business at The Kitchen Collective, but wish to remain a part of the community!