Poughkeepsie

Open Kitchen

(POK) @

Commercial Kitchen

Expression of Interest

The Poughkeepsie Open Kitchen (POK)opened in March 2017 and we’re moving to the next phase of soliciting food entrepreneurs who are interested in joining this kitchen community. The following expression of interest form will provide us with more information about your food business goals and commercial kitchen needs to ensure that POK will be a great fit for you.

Please complete this form online at return through email to

About POK

POK is located on the first floor of the renovated historic Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory at 8 N. Cherry Street in Poughkeepsie, andis a shared use commercial kitchen available for rent on an hourly or daily basis. With2,000 square feet of combined cooking, preparation, and storage space, POK is designed to meet the kitchen needs of the Hudson Valley’s food entrepreneurs. It is well suited for caterers, food truck operators, retail or wholesalers, cooking or nutrition instructors, or food concept developers – it can even serve as a pop-up restaurant space for chefs looking to pilot a new concept!

The space will feature:

  • Stainless steel prep tables and abundant counter space.
  • 6-burner gas range with flat top and oven.
  • Convection oven.
  • 30 quart floor mixer.
  • Pizza oven.
  • Dry and cold storage.
  • Ice maker.
  • Small wares such as food processor, blender, mixers, etc.
  • Cooking, baking, cooling, and storing equipment and tools.
  • Dedicated cleaning area with dishwasher.
  • Available office space to move your business forward.
  • Referrals to a local community of experts in food production, marketing, licensing, legal, and business development.
  • And an open-space, natural-light, community-centric atmosphere that can’t be beat!

The POK is an initiative of Hudson River Housing, a non-profit that runs multiple programs to revitalize Poughkeepsie’s Middle Main Street district, and aims to provide food entrepreneurs and start-ups with an affordable space to develop and grow their business. Located in the heart of the Hudson Valley, surrounded by culinary institutions, local farm and food businesses, and diverse ethnic cultures, the POK hopes to harness our collective love of food to build community pride and connectedness.

Requirements to Rent

  • Each business renting the kitchen is considered to be its own separate business entity. As such, each business owner is responsible for complying with the city, state and federal regulations governing food related businesses concerning licensing, food safety and sanitation, taxes, employment, etc. Throughout the application process, Hudson River Housing will provide information to help you determine which licenses and permits you need and how to apply for and secure them.
  • Each renter must be fully insured with general liability insurance at coverage of $1 Million per occurrence and $2 Million aggregate. Worker’s compensation is required if your business has employees. POK will need to be named as an additional insured and proof of insurance must be provided prior to use of the kitchen.
  • A complete application form, kitchen user agreement, security deposit, and orientation will be required prior to your first kitchen rental shift (more info to come on that later).
  • You must be excited to join this food and community movement at the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory where we’ll have lots of opportunities to learn and grow together!

Expression of Interest Form

Please complete this form online at or return through email to

Contact Information
We won’t sell your information; we just want to keep you updated on POK and the Underwear Factory.
Name:
Name of Business:
Mailing Address:
Best Phone Number to use:
Email:
Website:
How did you hear about POK? / ☐Hudson River Housing or Middle Main staff member
☐Social Media
☐Web search
☐Flyer/brochure
☐Training/workshop
☐Referral/word-of-mouth
☐Other:
☐Not sure/Don’t know
Business Information
Tell us a little about what you’re cooking and future plans for your business.
Select an option that best categorizes your business: / ☐Retailer – sell baked or packaged goods directly to consumer (i.e. farmer’s markets)
☐Wholesaler – sell baked or packaged goods to buyer who sells to consumer (i.e. gourmet markets)
☐Caterer or Food Truck – cook large quantities and serve individual portions.
☐Other:
☐Not sure/Don’t know
Briefly describe your business or business concept:
Number of years this business has been operating:
(It’s okay if you’re a start-up)
Location of current business operations, if applicable:
Number of employees, if applicable:
Describe your interest in a shared-use commercial kitchen:
Select which permits/licenses you currently have: / ☐20-C Food Processing Establishment License
☐Department of Health permit
☐Food Handler’s Certificate (ServSafe)
☐Others:
☐I’m not sure / I need help figuring this out
List additional training/resources you would be interested in receiving to support your business:
Kitchen Use
How you anticipate using POK. This information won’t be final, but will give us a good sense of your kitchen needs.
Number of hours per week or per month you anticipate using the kitchen: / Hours per week:
or, Hours per month:
Write in your ideal schedule: / Days of the week/month:
Hours of the day:
List the equipment (large and small) you will need in the kitchen:
List the type of storage needs you may have:
List any equipment you plan to bring with you:
Your Turn
Any questions you have for us?
Name
Signature
Date

POK- Expression of Interest Form, pg. 1