Great news! We have secured a commercial kitchen in Independence, Oregon. The facility provides a licensed space for preparing food to sell to customers and offers a rental space with seating for 0-50 customers. Additionally, there is a designated area for selling pre-packaged food. The facility’s name is Indy Commons LLC, and I visited the premises on June 25. The kitchen is fully equipped with essential tools such as a stand mixer, food processor, pots, pans, and other utensils necessary for preparing menu items.
After consulting with my SCORE mentor, we have decided that this presents an excellent opportunity for Baobab Southern Kitchen to hold a soft launch of a Southern cuisine event at the Indy Commons Kitchen. I am now responsible for setting a date for this soft launch after completing the following tasks: (1) obtaining licensing through Polk County Environmental Health, (2) registering my business with the Oregon Secretary of State, and (3) securing liability insurance for my food service business (FLIP, Food Liability Insurance Program) and naming Indy Commons as additionally insured on my insurance policy. I applied for a temporary restaurant license with Polk County Environmental Health today. These tasks will allow me to use the facilities at Indy Commons.