Bronx CookSpace is a commercial incubator kitchen created and operated by WHEDco, a nonprofit community development organization based in the South Bronx. It occupies 4,000-square-feet in the ground floor of Urban Horizons, the former Morrisania Hospital rehabilitated and reopened by WHEDco in 1997. Urban Horizons currently operates as a mixed-use affordable housing development anchored by on-site programs and services that meet identified community needs, including access to benefits and counseling, high-quality childcare, education, entrepreneurship and other essential opportunities.

Originally named “WHEDco’s Urban Horizons Kitchen,” it opened in 2000 after community surveys revealed that many local residents supported their families by selling food products made at home. Making and selling food was a viable employment option, but entrepreneurs were limited in their expansion and income potential due to lack of access to a licensed commercial kitchen space. The Urban Horizons Kitchen allowed area residents to legalize their operations, earn income, and support their families through authorized food business entrepreneurship.

Today, WHEDco’s Bronx CookSpace incubator kitchen provides affordable, flexible workspace and individualized technical assistance to 35-50 start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to launch and expand food enterprises. Most CookSpace entrepreneurs are low-to-middle income earners, women, and people of color, unable to access traditional commercial kitchen space due to cost and/or experience barriers. Our clients each employ at least one additional staff member to help run their food businesses. Since opening, the kitchen incubator space has launched or expanded over 220 unique businesses.