Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Zieniewicz, Terrie Johnson and Lisa Formosa-Parmigiano.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Gina, Terrie and Lisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We (the 3 sisters) started as a home-based food business making just our 5 flavors of biscotti.
We named our business after our Mother, “Nana Clare.” It was her who taught us how to make her delicious biscotti.
We introduced our product – Nana Clare’s Biscotti – at farmers markets all over NW Indiana and discovered that people liked them. We were asked to cater events such as weddings and baby showers, but without producing our product in a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen, we had to turn the business down.
Accepting orders and catering events, even for family and friends while baking in our homes, was way too great of a risk! None of us were willing to take that chance.
The search for a commercial kitchen to rent and run our business out of began…and ended!
The very long, unsuccessful search leads to dialogue with other home-based food business owners. The need for a commercial kitchen was apparent and the benefits obvious. A licensed, permitted commercial kitchen available to rent would provide an affordable solution for other home-based businesses. It would allow for expansion, year-round income-earning potential, the ability to accept and ship web-based orders, and even wholesale market potential. The possibilities for growth would be endless.
We built just that place!
Today, we have a full Dessert Line and a small catering menu along with the original Biscotti! Our kitchen has allowed us to grow at our pace and help many others.
We are SO much more than a commercial kitchen to rent. We have retail space to introduce our renter’s product to the public. We offer marketing help and partner with them on events.
The kitchen is a Unique, complete culinary experience!
We offer:
Kids Cooking Camps from the ages of 4 – 17. (They are offered 3 times per year.)
Basic Decorating Classes
Adult Cooking Classes
Monthly Kids Baking Classes
Family Cooking Classes
Healthy Eating Program
Young Go-Getter’s Program
8 Food Theme Parties and Food Challenges (Based on TV shows such as Chopped & Cupcake Wars)
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been easy. Due to the unique nature of our business, it’s hard for people to understand “what” we are. We are very proud that we just celebrated our 5 year anniversary on September 10th!
People are still, just now realizing all that we offer.
We are the only commercial kitchen built for rental purposes in NW Indiana. We are the only commercial kitchen for rent with our exact programs and that offer’s their renters the help and the room for growth that we do.
Please tell us about Nana Clare’s Kitchen.
We are a “Unique, Complete Culinary Experience!” That means something different to each individual that walks through our door.
To the home-based food business owner that walks in, we offer a warm, comforting, helpful, exciting solution to grow their business. We offer the chance to get their product out to the public, to gain a loyal client base and give them the opportunity to run a legit business before they spend hundreds of thousands to open their own restaurant, bakery or cafe.
Success is not guaranteed, but it sure helps to have the chance at a loyal client base before taking the huge financial risk.
From the curious child that just wants to cook with mom to the HS student that has a real passion for food and dreams of being a “Chef”, we can help nurture that growth and teach them.
We have a little bit of something for everyone. We are most proud of the fact that we enjoy helping people fulfill their dreams and watch them grow.
What makes us unique, everything we do! There are other commercial kitchens, none of the likes of our programs or our willingness to get involved and help!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Of course, you learn as you go. You start small and grow. So if I were to start over knowing what I know now, I would have designed the kitchen a bit bigger and a little different. Still offering all that we do and more!
Contact Info:
- Address: 3907 Calumet Ave
Valparaiso IN 46383 - Website: www.nanaclares.com
- Phone: 219-286-3645
- Email: nanaclares@gmail.com
- Instagram: none
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nanaclareskitchenValpo/
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
