Hosted by Poppin Plates Culinary Incubator LLC | Sponsored by GBG Incorporated
On September 17, 2025, Poppin Plates Culinary Incubator brought together food entrepreneurs, chefs, and industry professionals for an engaging evening of learning, networking, and empowerment. The Culinary Connection Networking Event was designed to give emerging food business owners the tools, insight, and community they need to thrive in a competitive culinary landscape.
Empowering Culinary Entrepreneurs
From understanding the importance of business licensing to navigating insurance and investment opportunities, the discussion centered on helping entrepreneurs build sustainable and compliant food-based businesses. Speakers emphasized the value of professionalism and structure in the culinary world, reminding attendees that building a business is what truly builds a brandPoppin Plates Culinary Connecti….
Participants learned about essential requirements for Illinois-based food entrepreneurs, such as maintaining a shared kitchen user license and food sanitation certification. These topics helped clarify often-overlooked compliance steps that can make or break a business’s foundation.
Panel Insights and Key Takeaways
Panelists covered a range of critical business topics — including insurance, workers’ compensation, brand development, and access to venture capital. One of the evening’s highlights was the conversation around business protection, where experts discussed policies that safeguard food, staff, and operations from unexpected challengesPoppin Plates Culinary Connecti….
Entrepreneurs were also encouraged to treat consistency as the secret ingredient to success — never compromising quality for quantity and allowing social media to serve as a friend, not a foe, in business growth.
Real Voices, Real Impact
Attendees expressed how valuable the experience was, with many noting that the event helped them identify gaps in their operations and inspired new levels of accountability. “This was very informative. I realized a lot of things I missed when I started my company, and I wish I had this meeting before,” one participant shared.
The event also spotlighted local business owners like Christy Dawson, a coffee entrepreneur and caterer based out of Poppin Plates, who shared how using the incubator’s space helped her produce in seven hours what once took three days at home — a testament to the power of having the right environment to growPoppin Plates Culinary Connecti….
Community, Collaboration, and Growth
The evening concluded with heartfelt thanks from Chef Freshauna Green, founder of Poppin Plates Culinary Incubator, who expressed gratitude to the event’s sponsor, Michael-Charles Hilton, Vice President of GBG Incorporated, as well as the panelists and attendees who made the night a success.
The Culinary Connection Networking Event reaffirmed Poppin Plates’ mission: to create accessible opportunities for food entrepreneurs to learn, collaborate, and build sustainable businesses in Illinois and beyond.
