Hear the three Start Up Kitchen Spring 2013 finalists present their concepts before a panel of food industry veterans who will critique business plans, offer constructive advice, ask probing questions, and review the general soundness of the concepts. Each finalist will have 10 minutes to present their concept with follow up questions from the judges.  The winner will be offered an 8-week incubation and mentorship program with Penny Karas of Hello Cupcake in her Barracks Row location.  

The event includes sparkling wine and sweet treats from Hello Cupcake.  The space is sponsored by Tabula Rasa

Judges:

Raj Aggarwal- Provoc
Fahed Arekat- Eagle Bank 
Sandra Basanti- Dangerously Delicious Pies 

Mark Furstenburg- Breadline 
Alison Reed- Ripple
Doug Singer- Restaurant Consultant

Harold Pettigrew- DSLBD

 
Agenda:
6:30 - 7 p.m. Cocktails and Networking
7 p.m. Introduction of Program and Judges
7:10- 8:30- Chopping Block Competition

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Thunder Pig Confectionery

Entrepreneur: Meg Murray

Thunder Pig Confectionery is a catering company that specializes in providing local businesses and individuals with high quality, organic and local confections, including marshmallows, caramels, toffee, brittle, bark, chocolates and other fine candies. Thunder Pig is currently housed in the brand new Union Kitchen space, located in the growing NoMa neighborhood.

S’mores Amore

Entrepreneur: Nadia Mitchem

S’mores Amore is a line of dessert treats centered around different flavor combinations of a graham cracker, marshmallows and a chocolate ganache. The treat is inspired by the traditional campfire classic, with a modern twist-natural ingredients and no gelatin in the marshmallows.

Baked By Yael

Entrepreneur: Yael Krigman

Baked by Yael is a woman-owned small business based in Washington, DC and specializing in cake pops, bagels, rugelach, black and white cookies, and other delicious baked goods. Krigman’s goal is to be DC’s first brick-and-mortar cakepoppery with the most delicious cake pops and other baked goods in town.

Judges will rate concepts based on streghth of business plan, financial competency, viability in the DC market, personal passion for concept and quality of product. Judges include Raj Aggarwal- Provoc, Alison Reed- Ripple, Doug Singer- Restaurant Consultant, Fahed Arekat- Eagle Bank, Sandra Basanti- Dangerously Delicious Pies, Mark Furstenburg- founder of Breadline/Marvelous Market and Harold Petigrew- Department of Small and Local Business Development.

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StartUp Kitchen is an eight-week rapid incubator for culinary entrepreneurs including formal mentorship with a DC based business owner and opportunity to partner with a local restaurant to temporarily operate their food concept in a restaurant setting without the risk and investment normally required.

Through a competitive process modeled on the Kauffman Foundation’s StartUp Weekend, food entrepreneurs will be given the opportunity to present their concepts before a panel of food industry veterans who will critique their business plans, offer constructive advice and review the general soundness of the concepts. The selected winner of the competition will be given access to an existing restaurant during its off hours, mentorship of the incubating business owner as well as assistance marketing and running a ticketed Pop-Up of their concept for six weeks. The restaurateur will receive 75% of ticket sales from restaurant as well as feedback from the consumers dining.

The long-term goal is the growth of StartUp Kitchen incubators citywide.  StartUp Kitchen is a joint partnership between Think Local First DC and NURISH: Center for Creative Culinary Economy.