Our Kitchen

Located in the heart of downtown Carbondale, our shared-use commercial kitchen is the perfect space for culinary entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life. Whether you're just starting or growing your business, we provide a welcoming and professional environment designed to support your journey every step of the way.

Your culinary journey

Leave it to Chef has a fully equipped, commercially licensed shared-use kitchen ready for you. With over $70,000 in professional equipment, we let you focus on what is more important avoiding long leases and high upfront costs. Pay only for the time you use and grow your business sustainably. Consider our kitchen your kitchen!

What We Offer

  • Flexible Kitchen Rentals: We provide hourly, daily, and monthly rental options to fit your needs. Whether you’re prepping meals, catering events, or experimenting with new recipes, our kitchen is here to accommodate you. Ask about doing your first popup event for free!! 

  • Well-Equipped Facilities: Our kitchen features commercial-grade equipment and tools, ensuring you have everything necessary to create delicious dishes. Each renter has a unique door/alarm code to come and go as needed. 

  • Community Connection: Join a network of fellow culinary enthusiasts. Share ideas, collaborate, and learn in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

  • Resources for Growth: Access workshops and mentorship opportunities to enhance your culinary skills and navigate the world of food entrepreneurship.

Prerequisites

  • Copy of general liability/product liability insurance [coverage], with Leave It To Chef, LLC named as additional insured

  • Copy of food manager certification

  • Copy of your plan review from the Jackson County Health Department JCHD

  • Refundable $1,000 damage deposit ( to cover the over $70,000 worth of equipment in the kitchen)

Packages

We offer six packages with the flexibility that you are looking for. Save a lot with one of our five packages under a three-month subscription model or our One Non-Subscription Kitchen use:

  • Package 1: 1-10 hours per month 3 month @ $20/hr Additional hours @ $20/hr

  • Package 2: 11-20 hours per month 3 month @ $19/hr Additional hours @ $20/hr p

  • Package 3: 21-40 hours per month 3 month @ $18/hr Additional hours @ $20/hr p

  • Package 4: 41-60 hours per month 3 month @ $17/hr Additional hours @ $20/hr p

  • Package 5: 60+ hours per month 3 month @ $16/hr

  • Non-Subscription Kitchen Use: 3 hours of kitchen time $120 + $200 deposit. Each additional hour is billed at $25.

Launch & Thrive

Ready to turn your culinary passion into a thriving business? Leave it to Chef is here to offer you expert guidance in a supportive environment to help you make your food business dreams a reality. Don’t wait—schedule your class today and take the first step toward your success!

Testimonials

  • Aur Beck

    "In 2024, we served over 3000 people free food through our Rotary Serves Food pantry and over 1200 free meals through our Pay it Forward meal program, all cooked in this kitchen."

  • Southern Illinois CABE team

    SI CABE is proud to partner with Leave it Chef Rotary Serves Food, supported by the Rotary Club of JWCS, to serve our community. Together, we provided over 150 meals and assisted as many families with pantry access during the 3rd Annual Latin Summer Night. Our efforts have focused on making the pantry more accessible to Spanish-speaking families through bilingual resources and live interpretation. Chef Aur's mentorship is igniting entrepreneurship within the community, showcasing the beauty of diverse culinary traditions. We are deeply grateful to the food pantry, volunteers, and the chef for creating a welcoming and supportive environment for international families.

 FAQs

We are here to help and support you in your decision-making!

 

  • Yes within limits. Your personal door/alarm code gives you 24-hours access. We have an online shared calendar. Permission from pre-scheduled clients is required to use the kitchen simultaneously.

  • The more hours you prepay the more dedicated storage space ( shelves, fridge & freezer) you get.

  • Yes. While we don't expect you to wash the walls and clean the floor mats, you should leave the kitchen the way you'd like it to look when you come in. That basically means: wash your dishes, wipe down dirty surfaces, sweep, and mop.

  • Payment is due prior to your use of the kitchen. If you are reserving multiple blocks of time for the month, your advance payment is needed to reserve those times. In the case of one-time or drop-in use, payment and all required paperwork will be required prior to using the kitchen.

  • Hours cannot be credited to the following month. We understand that it is hard to estimate how many hours you'll need, but due to the nature of the business, you must try to estimate as accurately as possible, as hours cannot be credited to the following month. We'll be happy to help you with your time estimates, and in the event that you do have extra hours, we'll try our best to help you find other clients that need extra hours or are willing to trade.

  •  If there is unreserved time available additional hours can be purchased.