Culinary Commons
Culinary Commons / Use the Kitchen
Contact Us
Judicial and Law Enforcement Center
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm
Email: Email Us
Phone: 785-393-4556
Fairgrounds Rental Office
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm
Email: Email Us
Phone: 785-832-5296
Use the Kitchen
If you’re a farmer or food entrepreneur, you want to focus on developing your recipe, market, and business model—not worry about the upfront capital costs of an expensive commercial kitchen and equipment! Families and community groups can also use the kitchen to prepare big meals, have a canning party, or other non-commercial uses.
Designed in 2005 as part of the renovated shared commercial kitchen project, Culinary Commons provides space for farmers and food entrepreneurs to:
- add value to their products
- extend their product line and season
- and build their small business in a safe, certified environment
Four Steps for Approval
More Info
Approval Process
Step One
Kitchen Tour
A tour of the kitchen space (693.25 sq. ft.) is required prior to rental, so you know if the space meets your needs and are introduce to food safety and state food business licensing topics. To schedule a tour, contact K-State Research and Extension–Douglas County at (785) 843-7058.
For a virtual tour of our Culinary Commons incubator kitchen visit: https://youtu.be/H9x8_K4VQag
Step Two
Policies and Application Form
Step Three
Business License
With your application, please include a copy of your business’s Food Establishment License or Food Processing License, if applicable, from the Kansas Department of Agriculture. For more information on rates and the process of obtaining a business license from KDA, visit the Division of Food Safety and Lodging.
Step Four
Liability Coverage / Insurance
Douglas County provides two levels of use for the Culinary Commons Incubator Kitchen—one that requires general liability insurance and one that does not. Note: Neither level includes coverage for product liability insurance.
- Usage 24 or fewer times per year: The County’s general liability coverage will cover your use. However, the County’s insurance provider reserves the right to seek payment for damages should an accident occur.
- Usage more than 24 times per year: You must provide a certificate of insurance showing current comprehensive general public liability coverage with respect to the Douglas County Culinary Commons Incubator Kitchen, having limits of liability for bodily injury, death and property damage of not less than a combined single limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence, with $2,000,000 total coverage. This certificate of general liability insurance must list Douglas County as additional named insured.