Kitchen Council

09/24/2026

For those who missed our latest newsletter, we’ve got a lot worth celebrating at Kitchen Council right now!

Several of our entrepreneurs are preparing for their KC Launch, which is probably my favorite part of this work.

The whole point of Kitchen Council is to help food entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses and, eventually, outgrow us.

A KC Launch means they’re ready for whatever comes next—a storefront, their own production facility, co-manufacturing, a food truck, or another path beyond our shared kitchen.

We’ve got several businesses making that transition right now, and we are extremely proud of them.

So, if you missed KC Quarterly Q3, open in a browser to read later. 💡

https://www.kitchencouncil.org/newsletter

And, if you know a good entrepreneur from Southwest Iowa who needs some help, send them our way! 💪🏼

Read the latest issue of KC Quarterly, the newsletter that keeps you up to speed on Kitchen Council--Southwest Iowa's most influential food-entrepreneur incubator and shared kitchen.

09/12/2026

Q3 is hot off the press. Celebrate our members’ wins with us, and feel free to share.

Read the latest issue of KC Quarterly, the newsletter that keeps you up to speed on Kitchen Council--Southwest Iowa's most influential food-entrepreneur incubator and shared kitchen.

09/10/2026

Who’s got courage + volition + a really good idea + been working on their PITCH?

Apply today!💪🏼

Launch powered by ASWIC
Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation
TS Bank
Small Business Development Center -SBDC at Iowa Western

09/06/2026

💡Sometimes, timing is everything.

Starting a food business? Join our FREE Food Startup 101 learn licensing, costs & first steps to launch. Hosted by Kitchen Council & SBDC.

09/05/2026

Got a food idea? Let’s turn it into a business. Link in bio.

Food Startup 101 is a FREE, in-person introduction for aspiring food entrepreneurs who aren’t quite sure where to begin—or what comes next.

We’ll walk through the basics of launching a food business in our region, including licensing, regulations, commercial kitchen requirements, business planning, funding resources, and the local support available to help you get moving.

Whether you’re dreaming about a food truck, packaged product, catering company, bakery, or something entirely new—start here.

Tuesday, September 29
5:00–6:00 PM
Kitchen Council | 1001 S. 6th St., Council Bluffs
FREE + IN PERSON

Presented by Kitchen Council + SBDC Iowa.

Know someone with a great food idea?
Tag them or send this their way.

FoodBusiness

08/28/2026

Friday, 8/28 at the HOFF! 🎬

PACE Interactive: Golden Age of Hollywood kicks off at 5PM, featuring performances from Chanticleer Theater, Council Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and American Midwest Ballet—with food from Kitchen Council members + alumni!

Grab your all-access pass to PACE Interactive 2026—and come hungry.

Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment

PACE INTERACTIVE - The Golden Age of Hollywood Friday, August 28 / 5:00 - 9:00 PM Presented by Richard (Dick) Miller & Family and the Doll Family Event Chairs: Liz & Scott Doll Family Event Co-Chairs: Dr. Cary & Crystal Jackson BUY TICKETS (21+ event) Experience the glamour of the "Golden Age of Hol...

08/25/2026

🍽️🎬 Bites, Camera, Action!

Come hungry to PACE Interactive: The Golden Age of Hollywood! Enjoy an incredible lineup of sweet and savory bites prepared by chefs from Kitchen Council, Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs, Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino and Hotel, and Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs.

Pair it all with live performances, casino games, interactive experiences, and plenty of Hollywood glamour.

🎟️ Tickets are going fast! Grab yours now and join us on the red carpet August 28 at the Hoff Center.
https://loom.ly/tFx_4C0

08/25/2026

Every KC launch feels a little different.

When Bella Bread joined our program in 2021, Bella Henry was moving out of a smaller commercial kitchen with an ambitious goal: make better gluten-free bread more widely available. That presented some unique challenges for all of us.

KC is a shared commercial kitchen—not a GF facility. Flour is part of daily life here. Supporting a business serving primarily gluten-sensitive customers required constant awareness of cross-contact and cooperation from everyone sharing the kitchen. It wasn’t always easy, but that is part of what makes Bella’s story meaningful.

For five years, Bella used KC as it was intended: a place to grow without having to take every risk at once. She increased production, worked countless farmers markets, expanded wholesale distribution, navigated licensing, and steadily proved there was a market for what she was building.

All along, she was working toward something bigger.

Finding the right co-manufacturer is one of the hardest transitions for a growing food business. For Bella, there was another non-negotiable: the recipe wasn’t changing. After years of searching, she found the right partner.

Bella Bread is now graduating from KC and moving production to a co-manufacturer capable of making her original recipe at a much larger scale. She also achieved another longtime goal: GFCO certification.

There is something especially rewarding about watching a business outgrow the kitchen.

Bella leaves KC better than she found it, too. Her experience has challenged us to improve how we approach allergen awareness, cross-contact, and helping CPG companies navigate the path to manufacturing. Those lessons will benefit the entrepreneurs who come next.

Perhaps our favorite thing Bella shared in her exit survey had nothing to do with equipment: the relationships she built here mattered just as much and made entrepreneurship feel a little less isolating.

That’s Kitchen Council at its best.

Bella, thank you for trusting this community with five important years of your journey. You have been a fantastic member, and we are ALL incredibly proud of what you’ve built.

Now go make a whole lot more brea

05/08/2026

We’re proud to celebrate Small Business Development Center -SBDC at Iowa Western and especially Joshua Baker for receiving a well-deserved Letter of Appreciation.

The Small Business Development Center at Iowa Western has been an integral part of helping execute KC 2.0 alongside Kitchen Council. From regular office hours, one-on-one advising and operational guidance to helping entrepreneurs navigate the realities of growth, Josh has consistently shown up for our members in meaningful ways—including teaching our Food Startup 101 (Q2 class is open for signups!).

That support is huge. It allows food entrepreneurs to spend less time overwhelmed by the business side of things and more time focused on refining products, serving customers, and building sustainable companies.

We’re grateful for SBDC-IA’s partnership, the consistency, and the belief in local food entrepreneurship. Well deserved, Josh. 💜