One morning in May, Veronica Salazar stuffed refried beans into sandal-shaped masa cakes, concentrating to block the commotion in a cavernous kitchen here in the Mission District. The chopping of vegetables added to the din as the clang of metal pans against stainless steel equipment competed with background music from a local Spanish-language radio station.
But this kitchen, known by the Spanish name La Cocina, is no ordinary restaurant or commercial operation. Instead, the chefs here - all women, most of them immigrants - work side by side to achieve a common goal: starting their own food businesses and, in some cases, elevating themselves out of poverty.
Known as a ‘kitchen incubator,’ La Cocina (la-koh-SEE-nuh) is a shared-use space created 2 years ago to provide a platform for women entrepreneurs without assets. Offering a low hourly rate for access to 2,200 square feet of restaurant-quality kitchen space, the nonprofit La Cocina also provides training from high-profile mentors and technical assistance on creating business plans and building marketing programs.
‘There’s an entrepreneurial gene,’ said Valeria Perez Ferreiro, executive director of La Cocina. ‘And we are finding amazing entrepreneurs who are already cooking or have a product that is so promising that it deserves to be seen in the market and that we think has a chance for success.’
Ms. Salazar, 32, was one of the first participants in La Cocina and is one of its bigger successes. Read more.
Photo by: Peter DaSilva for the New York Times
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