We’re still in the early stages—no open doors (yet), no shiny appliances (yet), and no questionable leftovers in the communal fridge (yet). But here’s the thing: we’re building something special. A place where culinary dreams get sautéed, stewed, and maybe flambéed by accident.
When we open, this won’t be just a shared kitchen. It’ll be your kitchen. Your neighbor’s kitchen. A place where passion projects, late-night food experiments, and community meals can actually happen—without setting off your smoke alarm or maxing out your counter space.
🍳 Fully-equipped commercial kitchen stations for meal prepping, testing, or launching your big idea
🥫 Canning, preserving, and fermentation stations for all the pickled, dried, or bubbling things you love
🎉 Shared pantry and donation-based ingredient library (because no one needs a whole jar of cardamom)
📦 Incubator support for food-based businesses, catering startups, and pop-up chefs
👩🍳 Classes, demos, and workshops to up your game and fill your belly
For those in our community who believe butter is a food group.
Because food should last longer than your grocery receipt.
For when you need more than one or two feet of counter space.
For those who think bubbling, weird-looking jars are a sign of success.
Because sometimes you just need a pinch of something special.
For those turning their culinary passion into a passionate profession.
Help us cover essential startup costs like permits, equipment, and renovations. Every bit adds up!
Help us stock our dream kitchen. Fund a tool, station, or appliance—or donate gently used equipment to get us cooking.
Stock our shared pantry and ingredient library. We accept bulk staples, spices, and specialty items to keep our cooks well supplied and inspired.
Know someone who hoards cookbooks or ferments things "just for fun"? Send them our way. Bonus points if you shout it from a rooftop—or at least a well-attended potluck.
Right now, there’s no brick, no mortar, and definitely no industrial dishwasher—yet. But we’re in the thick of it: planning, pitching, spreadsheeting, and yes, occasionally stress-snacking.
We’re actively building partnerships with people who get it—folks who believe that food is community, that access matters, and that your cutting board should not live on top of your microwave. From kitchen pros and backyard growers to local dreamers and big-hearted doers, this project is being stitched together by a passionate group of food-forward thinkers.
And the cool part? We’re not alone. We’ve already got early support from champions like Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter, Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton, the USDA Rural Development Authority, Tennessee Tech University’s Center for Rural Innovation, and others who aren’t just nodding politely at our ideas—they’re rolling up their sleeves and helping us stir the pot.
This is more than a kitchen. It’s a future community hub for learning, building businesses, preserving tradition, and experimenting wildly (within safe food handling guidelines, of course).
We’re not open yet—but the burners are on.
☎ Phone: Coming soon
📍 Location: Also coming soon, but trust us—it’ll be epic
✉️ Email: info@ucmakerspace.org