Addressing what he believes to be a long unfulfilled need on the island, Chris Lueck plans to turn his former Express Cuisine restaurant space into a community kitchen while the property remains for sale.
“Ever since we first came to the island, people have been saying that Vashon needed a (community) commercial kitchen,” said Lueck, who closed the popular restaurant in August due to a personal health issue. “So now there will be one.”
Now, the commercial kitchen in the space can be rented by the hour by anyone who wants it for business ventures or personal needs, such as preparing food for private parties or functions. Lueck is calling the new business The Kitchen Larder.
While several island organizations have commercial kitchens, none have been actively marketed for business purposes.
“Patty (Freebourn), of Patty’s Tamales, is the perfect example,” Lueck said. “She rents the kitchen space from me for 12 hours every Monday to make her tamales, which enables her to then sell them at the market and elsewhere.”
For Freebourn and anyone else who might make use of the facility, the financial implication is significant, Lueck said, as it means they do not have to buy or build their own. Washington state has strict laws regarding the production of food that is to be marketed or sold to others, and a commercial kitchen is one of the requirements.
“I’ve heard so many people talk about special recipes they have for various things that they think would be a big hit at the market or on an even broader scale. Not having access to a commercial kitchen is what stops the majority of people who think about starting a food business,” Lueck said.
In fact, “kitchen incubators,” as they are often referred to, have started to spring up all over the country. It’s a business model that has seen dramatic growth in recent years, most likely due to growing consumer demand for specialty, artisanal and locally made foods. A recent report from the Specialty Foods Association showed a nearly 20-percent increase in specialty food product sales between 2011 and 2013. Using the kitchen incubator model, entrepreneurs can get started in a licensed kitchen at a fraction of the cost of doing it on their own.
Another benefit to many of these community kitchens is business help and advice from those who have experience, and Lueck said he is prepared to provide that for clients who lease his space.
“Making the food is just the first step,” he said. “I’m hoping that if things take off, this could work as another selling point for the space. The ones in Seattle and Tacoma are always booked.”
Caleb Johns, manager of Vashon’s Farmers Market, thinks the idea is a good one.
“Having a facility where people can create more Vashon grown and produced products is wonderful,” he said. “It will be interesting to see what kinds of creative ideas people come up with. Maybe we’ll have new vendors next summer because of this.”
The kitchen isn’t the only space in the former restaurant that Lueck intends to offer for public use. The front of the space — the former dining room — will also be available for rent on an hourly basis for art showings.
The Kitchen Larder and art space are now available to rent by the hour. For more information or to book ones of the spaces, contact Chris Lueck at 578-2852 or email vtwineguy@gmail.com.
