There are a lot of innovative food programs popping up in response to COVID-19 to help sustain supply chains, distribution, restaurants, or feeding at-risk or first responders. We have been capturing a lot of resources and ideas on this blog, Navigating COVID-19 in the Food Industry.
In late March, The Food Corridor partnered with Galley Solutions to develop a playbook modeled after a program implemented by the O’Side Kitchen Collaborative. The community kitchen, highlighted in the San Diego Union Tribune, captures expiring food from closing restaurants and turns it into healthy meals for the elderly, the immune-compromised, or low-income folks.
This step-by-step playbook can be used by any commercial kitchen to activate underutilized space into a food distribution operation during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. These community kitchens have the potential to come to the table and feed those most in need. If you are looking for a commercial kitchen in your area, The Kitchen Door is the largest network of shared use kitchens available for rent.
The playbook begins by describing the OKC model, outlines tips to get started, and details ways to source food, raise funding, source labor and manage food operations. We hope it helps inspire your kitchen to rise to the occasion and feed your communities in new and innovative ways.
