Rita Franco’s “accidental business,” The Flippin’ Kitchen, has just opened and is already generating buzz. Located at 6129 E. Washington St. in the former Chef Dan’s, Rita has been busy interviewing potential renters for the certified commercial kitchen.
“I have always been entrepreneurial,” she said. “Since I was in the third grade, I knew I had that spirit.” She also had a love of cooking from an early age, making her first meals when she was only 13.
Years later, she combined these two passions into first her home-based business last year, La Mexi Gringa. La Mexi Gringa offers tamales, homemade chips, and authentic Mexican food, and started by word of mouth (with a little help from social media). A mother of four children ages 8-15 and wife to a landscape business owner, Rita served up hundreds of tamales from her busy home kitchen. As the business grew, she asked her step-father Chef Dan Carter, for time in his commercial kitchen so she could meet the demand. When he moved to his new location at 5539 E. Washington St. to open a sit-down restaurant, she stepped into the old space — but with some new ideas.
“It is really hard to start a new business, especially if you don’t have any capital,” she explained. “In the culinary area, it’s really hard. Everyone is scared of the Board of Health, and what licensing and things are really needed.” She did her research, asked questions of local, experienced restaurant owners, and thought the time was right for a shared kitchen. “I talked to Linda (Gilkerson) at Indy Kitchen,” she said, referring to one of the largest shared kitchens in Indianapolis. Rita uses the kitchen for her take-out and delivery business La Mexi Gringa, and will rent it out to new enterprises on a per-shift basis.
So far, she’s gathered a lot of interest in The Flippin’ Kitchen just through word of mouth. The 630 square foot area is equipped with refrigeration, oven, convection oven, and a commercial stove, plus commercial appliances. Food truck operators, people who want to make “Mom’s Special Recipe” jams and jellies for farmer’s markets, caterers, and others in the culinary world who don’t have the money for commercial kitchen equipment, but want to get their business off the ground, are welcome to call her at (317) 414-7990 or “friend” The Flippin’ Kitchen on Facebook. The cost varies, according to the needs of the client, and scheduling will be flexible.
“I want to educate people as well,” she said. She is thinking about offering classes on how to start a culinary business — plus several other ventures connected to The Flippin’ Kitchen that are not yet ready for “prime time.” Rita will be offering regular hours for La Mexi Gringa, opening on Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for take out and delivery. “I’ll be doing Taco Tuesdays, which has been really popular,” she noted.
“I love the networking aspect of the business, working with people who share the entrepreneurial spirit.”
