Burgeoning chefs and kitchen wizards in Shreveport that want to take their culinary game to the next level are in luck!  Thanks to a Choice Neighborhood Planning grant, a 5,000 square foot "kitchen incubator" is planned to open in 2018.  The culinary hub will help budding cooks hone their skills, then learn to apply them to the commercial world in order to help potential chefs make a better living wage.

The grant was awarded to Southern University at Shreveport back in 2010, and will supply $1 million dollars to the project.  Through the partnership with the city of Shreveport, the 2.2 acre empty lot located at 1210 Milam Street will be transformed into a facility that will both improve the food and the lives of the ones who make it.

The project is the result of a year and a half study looking to revitalize the neighborhoods around Allendale and Ledbetter Heights.  Soon, the kitchen will be ready to help amateur chefs with classes that will help them hone their skills in the kitchen and beyond - for a reasonable fee. Southern University at Shreveport will provide the staffing and management for the hub.

In terms of return on investment: The first phase of the center is expected to create 32 jobs and generate more than $3 millionAccording to US News and World Report, the center will also house office space, a conference room, cafe and a coffee shop with room to expand.  If all goes to plan, the end result is a better life for some who are struggling to make a better wage and more delicious food in the Shreveport/Bossier area.

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