Newmarket Kitchen – Tips for Co-Cooking Spaces

Published by SHARECITY on the 8th June 2016.

10 Things the Co-Cooking Space Has Learned

Newmarket Kitchen Celebrates Its First Year in Business!

Community kitchens and commercial shared cooking spaces are growing in popularity, allowing local, small-scale food producers to initiate innovative enterprises by having shared access to low cost but high quality, health and safety approved facilities and appliances, as well as exchanging knowledge, skills and experiences with the other enterprises they share with. Last month Newmarket Kitchen, the food incubator and kitchen space for food entrepreneurs based in Co. Wicklow in Ireland, celebrated its first anniversary. We asked marketing manager, Henry O’ Brien, to give us some insight into a few of the lessons the co-cooking space learned over the past year. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Proximity to other food entrepreneurs breeds motivation. When you’re surrounded by other food entrepreneurs who are grinding it out, it’s hard not to be inspired to up your game.
2. Social and work go hand in hand. Humans are social creatures. Having a social outlet is part of a healthy work environment. Independent chefs and businesses can work alongside others, making it a real community environment.
3. Find a place to be productive. Working from home every day isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. It’s nice to get out of the house and mix with others.
4. High ceilings and natural light does wonders for productivity. People’s energy levels and general mood goes through the roof when they move into Newmarket Kitchen. The high ceiling and natural light help to create a more open, natural environment.
5. All-in-one can make all the difference. It doesn’t matter how laid back you are, having a set monthly membership fee that covers cleaning, water, waste, electricity and equipment repairs definitely takes a lot of stress out of the mix.
6. Good neighbours lend a hand. Keep spare bowls at your bench. When people ask if you happen to have them and you do, they will think you are the most prepared person in the world.
7. Blending talent and backgrounds = magic. Dublin has an incredible mix of food entrepreneurs. When you put them in the same room together, it’s amazing to step back and watch what happens.
8. Plan as much as you can when working remotely. Having an agenda or plan is always a good thing when working from a new environment. Try and set out daily and weekly tasks. There’s no better feeling than crossing off items on your to-do list.
9. Inspiring surroundings are key. Bray, Co. Wicklow boasts some of the most beautiful surroundings in Ireland. Just a short drive from Dublin (against the traffic) and you are watching the sun rise over the Sugar Loaf on your way to work in the mornings.
10. A supportive community is everything. Most important lesson learned for the Newmarket Kitchen team this past year? People really want to see you succeed when starting a new business.

Interested in checking out Newmarket Kitchen and getting a feel for the amenities in person? Visit http://www.newmarketkitchen.com for more information.