2025 SUMMIT AGENDA
Time zone: EST / Eastern Time
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Scroll down for a sneak peak at our sessions and speakers.
All sessions and speakers are subject to change.
Check back for agenda updates.
Sunday, November 9, 5PM - 7PM
Summit Registration Check-in and Networking Mixer
WHERE
Crowne Plaza at Playhouse Square
Grab your swag bag and get a jumpstart on connecting with fellow attendees
Day one
Monday, November 10, 8AM - 7PM
8AM-4PM
Shared Kitchen Summit
WHERE
Crowne Plaza at Playhouse Square
Our Summit kicks off with an impactful keynote and a day full of insightful sessions
Breakfast and lunch provided
5PM - 7PM
Resource Happy Hour
WHERE
Coming soon
Rock out with our Summit sponsors and learn how they can be valuable partners to your operation
Lite bites provided
Day two
Tuesday, November 11, 8AM - 4:30PM
8AM - 12PM
Shared Kitchen Summit
WHERE
Crowne Plaza at Playhouse Square
The fun continues with expert-led panels and interactive discussions
Breakfast and lunch provided
12:30PM - 4:30PM
Cleveland Shared Kitchen Bus Tour
WHERE
Stops at Central Kitchen, Prep Kitchen, and Ohio City Pasta
Day three
Wednesday, November 12, 8AM - 10PM
8AM - 3PM
Shared Kitchen Summit
WHERE
Crowne Plaza at Playhouse Square
The show's not over yet! We have another full day of actionable workshops and though-provoking sessions.
Breakfast and lunch provided
7PM - 10PM
2nd Annual Shared Kitchen
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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Time to celebrate the shared kitchen industry with our second annual Golden Whisk Awards.
Explore the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with all of your new best friends
Food provided
Featured Sessions & Speakers
Backstage Pass: Beyond the Kitchen - A Justice-Driven Model for Building Food Businesses that Change Lives
SPEAKERS
Tammy Thompson, Founder, President & CEO
Lachelle Bell, Director of Entrepreneurship
Nissa'a Stallworth-Hewitt, Commercial Kitchen Manager
​Catapult Greater Pittsburgh shares how they've transformed their incubator into a community-rooted, equity-first platform for food entrepreneurs to thrive. Rooted in a mission to engage in emergency resource distribution, peer-to-peer support, wealth building, trauma-informed financial counseling, and policy advocacy, their work proves that when you center people and justice in your model, the impact extends far beyond the plate.
Look out for our Backstage Pass sessions this year for an expanded deep-dive into an operation.
Join ECDI Food Fort and explore how to integrate food safety into every stage of a small food business—while working effectively with regulators and advocating for your clients. Attendees will gain actionable strategies and tools to build trust, ensure compliance, and make food safety a core part of their business model without sacrificing creativity.
Safe & Savory: Building Food Safety into Every Bite
SPEAKERS
Bob Kramer, Food Business Specialist
Jacob Freisthler, Food Business Incubation Services Director
Branding That Sticks: Attracting Food Entrepreneurs to Your Kitchen
SPEAKER
Katie Melnick, Partner
Learn how to position your shared kitchen as a trusted, must-have resource for food entrepreneurs with Fizz Creative. This session shares the rebranding journey of Central Kitchen and offers actionable marketing strategies to boost engagement, build trust, and retain tenants.
Backstage Pass: Activating Circular Procurement Through an Incubator Kitchen Network
SPEAKERS
Julius Buzzard, Executive Director
​​Discover how Growing Hope transformed its incubator kitchen into a hub for ongoing local food ecosystem building. Learn practical tools for post-graduation engagement and adopt network-building practices that connect entrepreneurs directly into their local procurement pipelines—creating community wealth and sustainable growth beyond the kitchen walls.
Look out for our Backstage Pass sessions this year for an expanded deep-dive into an operation.
Financing That Fits: Understanding the Role of CDFIs
SPEAKER
Irwin Mendelssohn, Principal
Fulton Commons presents how Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) differ from traditional banks and the unique benefits they offer food entrepreneurs and kitchen operators. Discover how CDFIs fit within the broader financing landscape and how they can be a valuable part of your funding strategy.