Food Works for Middle Way House

Time Shared Kitchen Usage

Food Works provides and supervises a flexible, fully equipped commercial kitchen space on a time share basis and provides trained personnel as needed to assist entrepreneurs in developing and starting specialty food product businesses.  This is a service provided only to those entrepreneurs who have been willing to develop a solid business plan and who plan on having their product development contribute to the local food economy.  Preference will be given to those businesses incorporating locally grown food.

If you are starting a small specialty food business their is a simple process to initiate use of the kitchen.  First develop a business plan.  It is highly recommended that you use the small business counseling services offered by SCORE.  The local office is

Next, call Donna Storm at (812) 320-9217. All appointments for consideration must be made in advance – no walk-ins! An appointment time will be set for an interview, orientation and kitchen tour.  Food Works does not determine the feasibility of business plans and does not accept responsibility for the success of a business plan.  We also operate a catering business and do not offer our kitchen space for other catering businesses. If you determine that our kitchen services meet your needs we require the following:

A follow up interview with the Small Business Development Center…..referral information is provided by Food Works.  All potential clients must receive this one hour of counseling before scheduling any kitchen time.  No exceptions.

The Client will maintain, at all times, current licenses and permits required by law and regulation for the operation of their business. Copies of all current business specific licenses and permits will be submitted to FW before use of kitchen is permitted.

The Client will maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 of both product liability insurance and general liability insurance, with Bloomington Kitchen Incubator and Food Works for Middle Way House listed as  “additionally insured” in each case.  Proof of such insurance must be provided to the FW Director before use of the facility will be permitted.  FW may at any time require the Client to show proof of the required insurance.

The Client shall maintain Workmen’s Compensation Insurance in accordance with State of Indiana laws and regulations if they employ additional workers.

All Clients are required to have a current ServSafe Certificate or approved equivalent within three months of initiating kitchen usage.  This time period has been determined by the Board of Health.

Clients are required to complete an in house food safety training prior to using the Food Works Kitchen. Successful completion of the training is contingent upon scoring at least 70% correct on the Food Works Food Safety quiz.

All Clients are required to follow kitchen procedures and to use all production logs, and maintain the privacy rights of Food Works Program participants.

All Clients will undergo a background check.

Rental Rates:  Rental rates are determined by the type of usage requested.  If the major appliances are in use the rate is $20 per hour on a given day.  If you require more than four hours there is a shift to $10 per hour for each additional hour after four hours.  A modified rate schedule will be made for kitchen users that offer a predictable weekly schedule.  Kitchen users that are primarily using counter space for packaging will be charged only $8 – 10 per hour depending on space usage.  We offer cooler storage at $4 per week for a 15 sq. ft. area.

The Food Works Kitchen is also shared with community groups including Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, People’s University, and the community kitchen.  Open calendar spaces are provided a month at time, every six weeks.