1. What is RGK?
Real Good Kitchen is Knoxville’s first full-service shared commercial kitchen and food business
incubator. We have a 2500 sq ft facility that opened in January on Magnolia Avenue in East
Knoxville. You can think of Real Good Kitchen as a co-working space for food businesses. We
provide the space and resources food entrepreneurs need to take the next steps with their
businesses.
It’s been nearly 4 years since I started working on building Real Good Kitchen, and I’m thrilled
that it’s finally coming to life. We know Knoxville loves local food, and we think there’s so much
room for more of it. It takes a community to build a kitchen, and we are so grateful for the
support we’ve received.
2. How does a food incubator work? In that, what are some of the common road blocks that new
food businesses run into that food incubator helps too offset?
Real Good Kitchen makes food business ownership more accessible by lowering risks and
barriers--we invest in the equipment and infrastructure that food businesses need to operate
legally and optimize production. We also offer mentorship, support and a network of resources
focused on the unique challenges of food business ownership.
3. What is your vision for RGK?
At Real Good Kitchen, we’re building a diverse community of food professionals who share
space and resources and work side-by-side to build their businesses. We’re creating
opportunities for greater equity and financial security for more people through food businesses
ownership.
At Real Good Kitchen, we believe that we can make change through food. We're also a TN
Public Benefit Company which means we're committed to making an impact in our community.
4. What types of businesses are located with RGK so far?
We can serve a wide variety of food businesses from caterers and food trucks to bakers and
consumer packaged goods manufacturers. We onboarded 3 businesses in our first week--
NeverFull Waffles, Lirio Chocolate, and Cooks on the Curb. We anticipate bringing new
businesses on each week as we grow. We have a prospective client list of over 100 businesses,
and we aim to serve as many as we can.
5. If people would like to consider being part of RGK, do you still have room for other new
businesses?
Absolutely. All of the information about our services, membership packages and rates is on our
website: therealgoodkitchen.com
6. How can readers help to support RGK?
We are always in need of professional expertise to add to our network of resources, and as a
startup business, capital is an ongoing need. We’re continuing to outfit our facility with
equipment that Members need, and we’re working on establishing a Food Entrepreneur Capital
Fund to support food businesses financially. Readers who are interested in getting involved
should visit our website to contact us and contribute.