SPICE is Supporting the Pursuit of Innovative Culinary Entrepreneurs
Spice Kitchen Incubator strives to help entrepreneurs participating in the program develop successful food businesses, preserve their culinary traditions and share their talents with the Salt Lake County community.
Spice Kitchen Incubator ensures:
participants receive technical assistance and training,
have affordable access to commercial kitchen space and,
learn the steps to establishing a successful food business.
Who We Are & What We Do
Spice Kitchen Incubator is a program of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City created in partnership with Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office for New Americans & Refugees. Spice Kitchen Incubator provides technical assistance, hands-on learning experiences, market access and more to aspiring entrepreneurs during the first years of establishing their food businesses.
Our mission is to assist refugees and immigrants, collectively New Americans, as well as low-to-moderate income individuals as they build viable food businesses as a pathway to self-sufficiency and preserving culinary traditions adding to the diverse culinary community of Salt Lake County.
We assist our entrepreneur chefs connect with businesses and individuals in the greater community with whom they can share their culinary creations. We provide opportunities for our entrepreneur chefs to sell their foods. We also support our local community by offering occasional events, workshops and other community-building events.
New Business Development
Business Incubation
Spice Kitchen is a business incubator focused on helping refugees and disadvantaged individuals start their own food businesses and share their culinary traditions and talents with the Salt Lake Community.
Our Chefs
Catering & Food Trucks
Spice Kitchen Entrepreneur Chefs offer catering and several have food trucks with a variety of international cuisines for private and corporate events of all sizes.
Find out more by following the links below.
Spice on 9th
Market, Café and Small Business Hub
Operated by Spice entrepreneurs who will be selling their packaged food products, grab-and-go items, and basic coffee drinks. Part of the space also serves as a small business center for IRC entrepreneurs and hosts one-on-one and workshop-based meetings involving all aspects of opening and successfully running a business.
Our Model
At Spice Kitchen, we help our participants start full- or part-time food businesses by providing technical assistance and training and access to commercial kitchen space. Many of our participants have succeeded in starting local food businesses. We follow a four-step process:
Step 1: Recruit
Participants are recruited from the local community, attend an orientation session, and are assessed to determine if they have the entrepreneurial spirit, product viability, and community focus needed to run a successful food business.
Step 2: Incubate
During incubation, participants receive technical assistance to establish the foundations of their business plan including product development, marketing, finances, and operations. Our supporters provide access to capital and resources to help them grow.
Step 3: Develop
We provide opportunities like catering to help our participants grow their businesses. Our entrepreneurs participate in local farmer's markets and festivals while preparing for independence.
Step 4: Graduate
Once participants meet all established incubation benchmarks, they are eligible for graduation and move their business out of Spice Kitchen Incubator while still remaining part of the alumni community.
Support & Stay in Touch
Get involved with or contribute to the Spice Kitchen Incubator program, donate supplies, and sign up for periodic newsletters & announcements.
New Roots & Spice Kitchen Incubator
Spice Kitchen Incubator and New Roots in Salt Lake City are sister projects of the International Resuce Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City
