Kitchen

Kitchen Access

Scheduled Commercial Kitchen Time for Serious Food Operators

Need commercial kitchen time? Contact The Q to schedule a tour.

The Q offers scheduled kitchen access for approved food operators who need a permitted place to prepare, cook, package, or otherwise produce food without building out their own commercial kitchen.

This path is for food businesses that need production space — not public-facing retail service from The Q.

If you need a clean, permitted, shared-use kitchen where you can work professionally and legally, Kitchen Access may be the right path.

Who Kitchen Access Is For

Kitchen Access may fit:

Caterers
Bakers
Meal-prep operators
Packaged-food producers
Special-order food businesses
Food truck operators needing prep time
BBQ operators needing prep, packaging, or staging space
Small food businesses not ready to build their own commercial kitchen

This lane is best for operators who already have a food product, menu, service, or business idea and need a permitted place to produce it.

What Kitchen Access Means

Kitchen Access gives approved operators scheduled use of The Q’s commercial kitchen areas for approved food production.

Depending on the operator’s approved use, Kitchen Access may include scheduled access to:

Prep tables
Cooking equipment
Dishwashing and cleanup areas
Packaging space
Shared food-production areas
Temporary cooler use during scheduled kitchen time, if approved and available
Other facility resources appropriate to the approved operation

Kitchen Access is scheduled in advance. The Q is a shared facility, so all use must be coordinated with other approved operators.

Temporary Cooler Use During Scheduled Kitchen Time

Some operators may need limited cooler access while they are actively working in the kitchen.

Approved Kitchen Access operators may use designated cooler space for temporary holding of approved food or ingredients during their scheduled kitchen session, if space is available and the use is approved by The Q.

Temporary cooler use is limited to items connected with that scheduled session. Items must be properly labeled and removed before the operator leaves, unless separate refrigeration storage has been approved in writing.

Temporary cooler use does not include reserved refrigerator space, overnight storage, recurring storage, dedicated shelves, dedicated coolers, or holding food between scheduled sessions.

Reserved or ongoing refrigeration, freezer space, or dry storage is a separate service and may require separate approval, pricing, and agreement.

What Kitchen Access Is Not

Kitchen Access is different from Food Truck Commissary service.

Basic commissary service is for mobile food operators who need scheduled visits for things like fresh water fill, gray-water disposal, used cooking oil disposal, trash disposal, sink access for servicing, and commissary documentation support.

Kitchen Access is for actual food preparation or production.

Kitchen Access is also not the same as Retail Food Opportunities.

Kitchen Access does not include Retail Pickup Window access. If you want customers to buy or receive food from your business at The Q, Retail Pickup Window access must be scheduled and purchased separately.

Monthly Kitchen Access Tiers

Kitchen Access is offered through monthly tiers based on scheduled kitchen hours.

These tiers allow operators to choose a level of access that fits their current stage, without committing to more kitchen time than they need.

All kitchen time must be scheduled in advance. Additional hours, storage, smoker use, chargrill use, commissary service, or retail use may require separate approval and pricing.

Tier 0 — Starter Access

$50/month
Includes 2 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for very small operators who need occasional permitted kitchen use, limited prep, a small batch, or a place to begin.

Tier 1 — Light Access

$90/month
Includes 4 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for operators who need limited monthly production time, small-batch preparation, or occasional special-order work.

Tier 2 — Regular Access

$360/month
Includes 20 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for operators with regular monthly production needs, recurring orders, light catering, meal prep, baking, or packaged-food production.

Tier 3 — Growth Access

$700/month
Includes 40 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for operators producing more consistently, filling regular customer orders, serving events, or building a more active food business.

Tier 4 — High-Use Access

$950/month
Includes 65 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for operators with frequent production needs who require substantial monthly kitchen time while continuing to benefit from a shared commercial kitchen.

Tier 5 — Full Production Access

$1,650/month
Includes 160 scheduled kitchen hours per month

Best for operators who need substantial, high-volume production time in a shared commercial kitchen environment.

Which Tier Fits You?

If you are just starting or only need occasional kitchen use, Tier 0 or Tier 1 may be enough.

If you are producing regularly but still on a smaller scale, Tier 2 may be the best starting point.

If you are cooking, baking, packaging, or staging food every week, Tier 3 or Tier 4 may be more realistic.

If your operation needs something close to full production capacity, Tier 5 may be the best fit.

If you are not sure, start with a tour and a conversation. We can talk through your food concept, schedule, equipment needs, storage needs, and production volume.

Onboarding Fee

A one-time $100 onboarding fee applies to all approved Kitchen Access operators, including Tier 0, Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, and Tier 5.

This fee applies before first use of the kitchen.

The onboarding fee helps cover orientation, paperwork, scheduling setup, facility walkthrough, access arrangements if applicable, and basic operator onboarding.

The onboarding fee is separate from any monthly Kitchen Access tier charge, security deposit, or separately approved services.

Security Deposit

A refundable security deposit is required for some Kitchen Access tiers before first use.

Tier 0 and Tier 1 require no security deposit.

Deposit schedule:

Tier 2: $250 refundable security deposit
Tier 3: $350 refundable security deposit
Tier 4: $500 refundable security deposit
Tier 5: $750 refundable security deposit

The security deposit helps protect the facility, equipment, shared spaces, scheduling commitments, cleaning expectations, and other approved operators.

Deposits are refundable according to the operator’s agreement, less any unpaid charges, damage, excessive cleaning, missing items, or other amounts properly chargeable under the agreement.

Additional Services May Be Available

Some operators may need more than ordinary Kitchen Access.

Depending on your business and approved use, additional arrangements may be available for:

Refrigeration
Freezer space
Dry storage
The Bear wood-fired smoker
Chargrill use
Food Truck Commissary service
Retail Pickup Window access
Special scheduling needs

These services are not automatically included in any Kitchen Access tier and may require separate approval, pricing, or agreement.

Shared Kitchen Expectations

The Q is a shared food-business facility.

To make that work, every operator must respect the space, the schedule, and the other operators.

Approved operators are expected to:

Use only approved areas and equipment
Follow health department requirements
Work during scheduled times
Clean and reset after use
Store food and supplies only in approved areas
Label and manage products properly
Respect shared refrigeration, storage, and prep areas
Communicate clearly about scheduling needs
Maintain any required permits, licenses, insurance, or documentation

Kitchen Access works best for serious operators who understand that professionalism matters.

Before You Contact Us

When you contact The Q about Kitchen Access, please tell us:

What kind of food you make or want to produce
Whether you already operate a food business
Whether you need occasional or regular kitchen time
How many hours per month you think you may need
Whether you need refrigeration, freezer, or dry storage
Whether you need smoker, chargrill, or other special equipment
Whether you also need food truck commissary service
Whether you plan to sell directly to customers from The Q
Your expected timeline

You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. But the more clearly you describe your operation, the easier it will be to determine whether The Q is a good fit.

Start with a Tour

The best way to know whether The Q fits your operation is to schedule a tour.

We can walk through the facility, discuss your food concept, review your likely schedule and equipment needs, and determine which Kitchen Access tier may make sense.

Contact The Q to schedule a tour.