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By Joshua Berman
Project Coordinator, SBN
My earliest memories of food are ones that are shared. Sitting around a butcher-block table with my family, eating good and simple food, leaning too far back in my beat-up, red chair and falling off more often than not. Food for me has always been a shared experience and a collaborative process. At Commonwealth Kitchen (originally Cropcircle Kitchen), collaboration is king.
We at SBN are proud to say that this year will be our second collaboration with Commonwealth Kitchen to bring delicious local food right to you your tastebuds at our free annual Boston Local Food Festival– this year on Sunday, September 18th on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Walking into CWK, the kitchen buzzes like a beehive as the staff and entrepreneurs carry out their daily tasks and routines. All the while pots, pans, and baking sheets rattle and clank – a tell-tale sign of a productive kitchen.
Community and Operations Manager Roz Freeman writes “Taking a step into the lobby of CommonWealth Kitchen, you immediately get a sense of the community among the entrepreneurs, employees, and CWK staff, and the passion behind what everyone does.” Workers from Fresh Food Generation share their lunches with other hungry staffers, cascades of scents from Third Cliff Bakery cookies to fresh herbs and broths from Five Way Foods waft through the kitchen, and Executive Chef Brad Stevens hops around, visiting members, catching up, tasting Noodle Lab’s newest recipe and delivering expert advice.
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Commonwealth Kitchen envisions “an equitable world and sustainable food system that provides each of us with access to the resources we need to live, learn, work, and thrive to succeed.” By offering shared kitchen space and integrated business assistance to food entrepreneurs – with an emphasis on those “impacted by racial, social, and economic inequality” – Commonwealth Kitchen is working to make their vision of our world a reality. From food trucks and artisanal spices to cake pops and meal kits, CWK has graduated over 45 local food businesses and is currently supporting 34 more.
When you look at the numbers, CWK’s awe-inspiring success becomes immediately evident. In 2015, 70% of their member businesses were owned by women and/or people of color. During peak production, these businesses employed over 150 people, 70% of whom were women and/or people of color themselves. Combined, CWK’s graduates in addition to their current member companies generate over $20 million in annual revenue and employ over 450 people.
This is not a simple kitchen, this is an economic hub and a heart of community development. Think of each impact point as a beat of the heart, and imagine that empowerment is the life-blood of the organization. With each beat CWK delivers crucial oxygen throughout the body – supporting all economic actors, including those in the extremities. The cumulative effect of each positive impact CWK achieves is equal to far greater than its initial economic value.
And where do we fit in? Well, we get to splurge on all their delicious foods knowing we are supporting an amazing initiative that is strengthening our local economy.
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Try the decadent flavors of little g ice cream company – founded by 16 year old Grace Connor – or sample the luxurious lactose free ice-cream from women-owned Minus the Moo. Prefer something a little lighter? Give Jubali Juice a try! Need a kick-start? Grab some honey-sweetened chocolate from Apotheker’s Kitchen. Or maybe a caffeine boost from Commonwealth Cold Brew. Feeling adventurous? The beet-based hot sauce from Alex’s Ugly Sauce has a strong flavor profile and different heat levels for everyone from the uninitiated to the most experienced hot sauce connoisseurs.
Boston Local Food Festival has been lucky to host a number of CWK graduates and members and showcase their tasty and creative products. This year, Commonwealth Kitchen you can get a taste of the action in the CWK Tent right beside the Greenway Carousel at the intersection of the Greenway and South Market Street.
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