Carola Lillie Hartley, Executive Director

Bridgeton Main Street

Community KitchenMaking Food, Entrepreneurs and Jobs DowntownBridgeton, New Jersey Culinary District

Bridgeton (NJ) Culinary DistrictCreated in 2009 by the Bridgeton City Council with help from Bridgeton Main Street

A four square block area in the heart of downtown Bridgeton.

 

The Culinary District is the center of the largest historic district in New Jersey and one of the largest districts in the US.

Why a Culinary DistrictDowntown revitalizationCreate a nicheHelp unite a very diverse group

of downtown storeowners, property owners and residents◦Food is a “great connector”

Draw more South Jersey area people into downtown

Focus on Food and anything to do with it◦Food stores◦Restaurants and food service businesses◦Gourmet stores, coffee shops, tea rooms,

ice cream parlors, wine/liquor stores, cheese etc.

◦Stores that sell kitchen wares, appliances, table settings, etc.

We don’t all need to shop We ALL need to EAT

Make Downtown Bridgeton a Destination

Culinary District Branding

The district has the following components:

Culinary District Pocket Park

Culinary District Pocket Park –The park with a mural will have an herb garden to be planted in the Spring of 2012.

Culinary District ParkLots of hard work and over $175,000 of donations

Park and Mural DedicationOctober 16, 2011

Tables and Chairs for Outside Dining at restaurants and downtown parks

Table and Chairs with Green Umbrellas are offered to downtown eating establishments to encourage outdoor dining

Bridgeton Bazaar in the Culinary District

Vendor Park and Bazaar on other vacant lots in downtown

In Planning Stage

Food Festivals, Events and Activities

A gala movie/dinner/cooking demonstration night

Fundraiser for Bridgeton Main Street

Held Annually every

April

Promotes the Culinary Arts, food history and ethnic diversity agendas of the wider redevelopment vision for Bridgeton’s downtown

Bridgeton Food Film Fest

Food Festivals, Events and Activities

Mill Creek Unban Farm sells produce at the Bridgeton Main Street organized Outdoor Market

Fridays June through August

Food Festivals

Cinco de Mayo Cultural Festival in the Culinary District

First

Sunday

every May

Food FestivalsBridgeton Crab Fest

in downtown as part of the Cohansey RiverfestLast Saturday every

August

Culinary District Lunch Fest at the Park

Hour long music concert at noon until 1PM.

Concert schedule printed on brown paper bags

Bags given to all downtown restaurants and food service businesses

Public invited to pick up a brown paper bag lunch from a downtown restaurant

Lunch in the park while enjoying great music.

Promotes the Culinary District, the historic downtown, the restaurants and local/area performing artists.

In Planning Stage for Fridays in April & October

Cumberland County Culinary Stars

A partnership of Bridgeton Main Street with◦Gateway Community Action Partnership, ◦Rutgers Food Innovation Center, ◦Rutgers Cousteau Center at Bridgeton,◦Cumberland County College, ◦Cumberland County Technical Education Center, ◦City of Bridgeton, ◦Cumberland County Empowerment Zone,◦Mill Creek Urban Farm and others.

Rutgers Food Innovation Center

Contact: 450 East Broad St., Bridgeton, NJ 08302 856-459-1900 (p) 856-459-43043 (f)

Serves not only clients regionally-but nationally and internationally as well

Rutgers Cousteau Center at Bridgeton

Other programs at the Cousteau Center bring science-based information to enrich education and inform management of coastal resources in south Jersey. Formal and informal education and training programs address local and regional concerns for sustainable economic development and conservation of the environment and coastal resources in Cumberland County.

Located in a restored 1790s building in Bridgeton’s Culinary District in the heart of the historic downtown

The Cousteau Center at Bridgeton is very involved in the Oyster Restoration Project.

Mill Creek Urban Farm at Bridgeton

Located less than ½ mile from downtown

Farm sits on four acres◦ Land once was a housing complex,

demolished in 2006.◦ Sat open and vacant for years because

it was too soft to build upon, the former buildings had been sinking a little each year.

Earth Boxes used to grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, butternut squash, a variety of lettuces, spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, beets, and more - if you can think of it, it's probably growing at Mill Creek.

Mill Creek Urban Farm sells produce at the Bridgeton Outdoor Market in the Culinary

District.

Cumberland County Culinary Stars

Heritage Cooking Demonstrations and Classes

Local area chefs demonstrate and teach their own style of heritage cooking.

Programs include:

Cumberland County Culinary Stars

Safe With a Smile Food Safety & Hospitality Training

Currently

offered by

Rutgers Food

Innovation

Center

Cumberland County Culinary Stars

Bridgeton Culinary Marketplace: A retail incubator for food related businesses to serve as a springboard for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to serve the local food service industry.

In planning stage

In Process

A centralized food preparation center designed to be employed by a variety of community entities.

This program is seeking funding currently for fit out.

Why a Co-op or Community Kitchen

Serve as a catalyst to the revitalization of downtown Bridgeton

Help to establish the Culinary District in downtown Bridgeton as a destination

Attract entrepreneurs of all levels to the restaurant and food service industry Bridgeton is building◦Help to develop entrepreneurs for the

Rutgers Food Innovation Center

Community (Co-op) KitchenProvide much need commercial

kitchen space to local/area caterers, food based home businesses and upcoming entrepreneurs

Provide training for food related businesses

Community (Co-op) Kitchen

Also allows access to business ownership in underserved communities

Can serve as an entry point back into the workforce for many◦Provide training to these individuals

Provides a “sense of community” in downtown

Draws more people into downtown creating much needed foot traffic.

Plans call for:Commercial kitchen on first floorRetail store and shop in storefront

Space for teaching classrooms & meeting rooms on second floor

For INFORMATION