Reykjavík Grapevine - mar. 2021, Blaðsíða 29

Reykjavík Grapevine - mar. 2021, Blaðsíða 29
29The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 03— 2021 There's a growing waiting list at Eldstæ#i#... also hot chocolate Food Enter Eldstæ#i# Reykjavík’s latest food tech incubator is built around community Words: Shruthi Basappa Photos: Art Bicnick Eva Michelsen is showing me around Eldstæ!i!—Reykjavík’s latest commercial kitchen for food entrepreneurs and small producers. The kitchen is a modern all-white and stainless steel affair, with only the synchronised movements of people tempering chocolate, shap- ing patties and packing kormas belying the industrious air of what really goes on in its quiet, sanitised spaces. I first met Eva Michelsen, a spirited food tech entrepreneur, when she was organising the Nor- dic Kitchen Workshop in 2018. Over the next two days, amongst a room full of food start-ups, participants shared the trials and hurdles of get- ting their product to market. Between now and then, she has gone on to start Eldstæ!i!, a com- mercial kitchen impressive not only for its ambition, but also for bringing six food vendors to store shelves in just six months of op- erations! So if you recognise names like Arctic Pie, Bao Bao Buns, Anna Marta pesto, Keto Eldhúsi!’s ready to eat meals, Ella Stína’s vegan pat- ties, Svava Sinnep and The Grumpy Whale Hot Chocolate, they are all working out of Eldstæ!i!. A new solution for an old problem As many learnt during the pandem- ic, especially around Christmas, one simply does not whip up Sarah Bernhardts in their kitchen to sell online. “Packaged food products are a whole other thing,” Eva smiles knowingly. With a confectionery business of her own, Michelsen Konfekt, she knows first hand the many challenges with being a small producer. But when there is MATIS, the government-run kitchen, why Eldstæ!i!? “They’re a test kitchen and they only allow one producer at a time,” Eva clarifies “There is lim- ited storage space. Eldstæ!i!, on the other hand, is a fully equipped commercial kitchen where up to three producers can work along- side one another at a time. We have shared infrastructure and offer a community and network of shared experiences,” she shares. Why should someone choose Eldstæ!i! and not go it on their ow n instead? “Do you have 15-16 m i l l ion k rónur? ” Eva quips, bluntly. “I did the numbers and if I had to take on a loan, I simply wouldn’t have done it,'' she confesses. “The hurdle for a lot of people is knowing where to start,'' she explains. “What are the rules, what is packaging, what is a quality handbook? It can all get overwhelm- ing. Because I am responsible for a lot of the things at Eldstæ!i!—fire safety, insurance, pest control—the undertakings of the producers are a lot easier,'' she explains. “If I was a governmental agency, I couldn't say no to anyone, but be- ing privately run like this, I can stipulate my own conditions—for instance, we don’t allow deep fry- ing, we are flexible with our open- ing times. We can do what we want to, when we want to,'' she laughs jokingly. Culinary community As we walk around the facilities, Eva excitedly shares that they are looking forward to new blast chill- ers, as the swanky coolers are al- ready proving insufficient due to the rising demand for a spot at Eldstæ!i!. “There is a growing waiting list,'' she beams proudly. There is a tangible barrier to entry for novice home cooks look- ing to scale their operations. When legalese and licenses can stifle that entrepreneurial spirit, Eldstæ!i! is a “one-stop shop,” as Eva succinctly describes. With their Icelandic and English policy in place, it has natu- rally proven popular with New Ice- landers wanting to share their taste of home as well. Besides the kitchen area, there is an event space, conference and meeting rooms. “Each month we get a food entrepreneur to tell their story. We’ve had Óskar from Om- nom, we’re expecting BitaViking next,'' Eva shares. “I know first hand how paralysing it can be to take that leap of faith. So this is about creat- ing this network, to create these shared experiences.'' "What we offer is a community," she concludes. Eva Michelsen, Reykjavík's most caring food tech entrepreneur Some of the wonderful things on o)er Ó!INSTORG | 101 | REYKJAVÍK | ÍSLAND SNAPSBISTRO.IS | +354 5116677 FRENCH ONION SOUP Icelandic Ísbúi cheese, croûtons 2.490 kr. MOULES MARINIÈRES steamed mussels from Brei"afjör"ur 2.600 kr. FISH OF THE DAY chef´s special 3.990 kr. Lunch offer from 11:30 - 14:00 1.990 kr. EST. 2012REYKJAVIK

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