Kitchen Chicago rents a fully equipped kitchen to dozens of aspiring and well-seasoned chefs who need a place to test and tweak their recipes.

Like any great business venture, the idea was all too logical and yet surpisingly untried, at least to co-owners Alexis Frankfort and Jeff Leverenz's knowledge. After quitting her job at Merrill Lynch, earning a degree at the French Pastry School in Chicago and working as an employee at Bittersweet, Frankfort sought an outlet where she could launch her own baking biz without buying her own space. After kicking around the idea of a communal kitchen, the duo purchased a former catering kitchen.

Among the two dozen or so clients working out of the kitchen are caterers, folks using the space to prepare goods for the farmer's markets, future bakery and restaurant owners and even people like Jerry Kleiner perfecting their dishes before making their big debut.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jessica Herman