mission
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Mission The Cochrane CookHouse is a local food initiative dedicated to building community by offering: - educational and social opportunities - commercial community kitchen - local artisan market At the Cochrane CookHouse we take a multi-faceted approach to increasing access to and consumption of local, nutritious, healthy and affordable food by supporting initiatives that create a more secure and local food supply for Cochrane and Area residents. Our partners include Cochrane Family and Community Support Services, Cochrane Resource Center, Cochrane Food Bank, and the Cochrane Community Gardens Society. Social & Community Programs We offer a wide variety of educational and social opportunities to the community. Programing is dedicated to promoting food literacy and empowering citizens to deeply assess where food comes from, how it is produced and the role it plays at home and in the community. Kitchen Incubator A kitchen incubator, often referred to as “ a shared-use commercial kitchen,” is a facility geared to supporting catering, artisan food, retail, and wholesale businesses in their early stages of start-up, expansion and growth. The high costs and time involved in building a commercial kitchen have made it difficult for small food entrepreneurs to get off the ground. A kitchen incubator offers chefs, cooks, caterers, cooking instructors, vendors, and bakers the opportunity to rent a commercial kitchen on an “as needed” basis to help reduce the obstacles of creating a successful and sustainable small business. At the Cochrane CookHouse, one of our goals is to help small businesses launch, grow and expand without needing an overwhelming initial investment. Our commercial kitchen provides shared workspace, equipment, and storage space options. Small businesses can rent on an hourly or on a contract basis tailored specifically to their individual needs. Artisan Food Market Small & home-based businesses, artisans and local producers have the opportunity to display, sell and promote their products through the shared store front space. Situated in downtown Cochrane this venue is an appropriate forum to advertise, sell, and display products year round, as well as reach a growing tourism market during the summer months. Cochrane Sustainability Plan The CookHouse aligns with Cochrane’s Pathways to Sustainability Plan. We live locally and consume the bounty of our local economy. One of our goals is to help increase the consumption and access to locally and sustainably produced foods. |
