Getting a new culinary business started is always a tricky business. You have a talent, but how do you know if it will be a success? You need a place that has equipment you can use, help you test your recipes and get the word out. That’s exactly what Michelle Solis and her husband had in mind when they decided to open ‘Bake, Broil and Brew’, a kitchen incubator scheduled to open later this Spring in San Antonio.
Kitchen incubators are not a new concept, with quite a few opening up in the last few years across the United States. The concept is simple: Share the costs of commercial kitchen space and allow fledgling entrepreneurs save on any of the costs associated with a start up, as well as all the red tape and licenses needed in the beginning.
Born in Houston, but raised mainly in San Antonio, Solis says she spent the last "14 years in the commercial property tax field, leading the sales & marketing efforts for local property tax firms.” She says she became burnt out working for the corporate world, and wanted to follow a growing passion of hers, and looked to open a cupcake business. It was during the process of finding out what was needed to start up her culinary business, that she came up with the concept for Bake, Broil and Brew. Solis was careful in her selection of a location, and will be opening up on Guadalupe Street, west of Interstate 35 in an art oriented area seeing a lot of revitalization.
Bake, Broil and Brew will have a main kitchen for cooking, one for baking and a third for brewing. Yes, I said brewing. The main kitchen will feature glass windows or onlookers and a lighting set up for videos, allowing you to record your own cooking show. Along with the large kitchens, individual cooking stations independent chefs and community are with freezers and fridge space where clients can store ingredients will also be available. But that’s not all, they will also have a store front where clients can sell their goods to the public and is staffed by Bake, Broil and Brew.
Now a paragraph ago I mentioned a brew kitchen. Solis advised they plan to also have two small homebrew systems onsite, where hombrewers can brew larger batches than they might at home and will open up to the main kitchen. It will also give aspiring homebrewers a chance to get used to brewing before investing in their own equipment. However, due to current laws in Texas, brewers will not be able to bottle, keg or sell their beer onsite. Solid advised they are currently looking at purchasing systems made by Sabco. This puts a unique spin on the typical kitchen incubator concept, making this one unique at least in Texas.
Bake, Broil and brew has already had a few events introducing themselves to the public, with more expected before the opening, so keep an eye out and head on down to try your brewing or culinary skills out!
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