Announcement
Chefs Suha and Mayada, owners of the restaurant Zaater and Zayton, prepared appetizers and entrees for members of the Kansas City Chamber.
Photo: Mikaela Herman/IRC
On October 11th, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City’s Spice Kitchen Incubator Program had the chance to host the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, showcasing the culinary acumen of participating entrepreneurs who run their own small businesses in Salt Lake County. Emily Park, Spice Kitchen Incubator program manager, explained the purpose of the event as a leadership exchange: “Essentially it is a fact-finding mission where the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce can learn about programs in Salt Lake and take back ideas that they are able to use in their home community.”
The tour offered catering opportunities for multiple Spice Kitchen Incubator entrepreneurs. Zaater and Zayton, owned by chefs Suha and Mayada dished up authentic Middle Eastern appetizers and entrees, featuring vegetarian dollars, chicken biryani with yogurt sauce, and more. The main course was followed by a sweet dessert menu from Ashikat Kitchen, owned by chef Saadiya, that included Turkish donuts and a coconut bird’s eye nest.
After the catered lunch, Spice Kitchen Incubator staff gave a tour and in-depth presentation on the program and efforts to support new American entrepreneurs. “We explained more about the populations served, the direct outcomes for our client’s, and the variety of the business models each of them have,” said Emily.
For Suha, Mayada, and Saadiyah, this was the largest event their small business had taken on and it turned out to be a great success! Spice Kitchen Incubator provides long-term support for start-up entrepreneurs that go through the program! Through a five-year program starting with pre-incubation through graduation, program staff focus on mentorship, education, and increasing market opportunity access. You can find a variety of ways to support the entrepreneurs at Spice Kitchen Incubator -- including participating in a weekly meal pickup service -- by visiting SpiceKitchenIncubator.org »