ITHACA, N.Y. — Shared Kitchen Ithaca, a new 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, has opened its commercial kitchen space and is welcoming new members.

The nearly 4,000-square-foot kitchen is equipped with state-of-the-art food-production equipment, according to an announcement from the organization.

“The Ithaca region has long been deficient in the facilities needed for entrepreneurs to manufacture their products in order to grow and scale their business,” Executive Director and Founder Rod Rotondi said in the announcement. “This gap is what I call the stainless steel ceiling. Shared Kitchen Ithaca fills this gap creating the potential for a renaissance of specialty food production in the Finger Lakes, much like what happened in California’s Napa Valley following their success with wine and beer. Our region has seen incredible growth in the beer, wine, and cider industries without the growth of specialty foods, until now. We have the culture, visionary entrepreneurs, farms, and now the manufacturing space and tools to make it happen.”

The shared-use commercial kitchen is equipped with ranges, a charbroiler, a fryer, Rationale Combi oven, three-level Italian steam-injection electric-deck oven, Blodgett convection ovens, a 40-gallon tilt skillet, blast chiller, ice makers, proofers, dough sheeter, mixers, food processors, and more. It also includes a walk-in cooler, freezer, and a loading dock.

The kitchen is certified as a shared-use commercial kitchen by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and is licensed as a commissary kitchen by the Tompkins County Whole Health Department.

Kitchen members will have access to business growth and/or startup services, support with production and distribution of food products, and other business-consulting resources.

Funding is available for low to moderate-income entrepreneurs to become members at a reduced cost. Information about membership and pricing is available online.

“Shared Kitchen Ithaca is a game-changer for my business,” Ithaca Breadworks owner and kitchen member Erica Brath said. “I can bake in 30 minutes in this kitchen what takes me nine hours to do in my home bakery. This is my fifth year in business, and I am finally able to expand thanks to SKI.”

The project received financial support from private donors and organizations including the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, the Tompkins County Development Corporation, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the City of Ithaca, the Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market, and the Park Foundation.