Shared Use Commissary and Commercial Kitchen in Pinellas County: Florida Chefs Workshop for Food Entrepreneurs

Where Local Food Businesses Come to Grow

If you’re a food entrepreneur in the Tampa Bay area looking for a licensed, professional kitchen to grow your business, you’ve come to the right place. Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, Florida Chefs Workshop is proud to be Pinellas County’s premier shared-use commercial kitchen, serving everyone from food truck operators and bakers to caterers and small-batch food producers.

For nearly seven years, we’ve focused on building more than just a kitchen — we’ve created a collaborative, community-driven space where local food businesses can thrive. With flexible rental options, a clean and fully licensed facility, and a supportive environment, we’re here to help you turn your vision into reality.

We also proudly support CPG startups — short for Consumer Packaged Goods businesses. These are the makers of retail-ready products like jarred sauces, baked goods, kombucha, spice blends, and more. Many start small and scale up by using a licensed commercial kitchen like ours, so they can legally sell their products online, wholesale, or in stores.

As you research options for a commissary or shared kitchen in the area, we always suggest looking at two things: How long the kitchen has been in business, and what their Google reviews say. With nearly 7 years of operation and a 4.8-star rating, Florida Chefs Workshop continues to be a trusted resource for local food entrepreneurs across St. Pete, Clearwater, Tampa, and beyond.

What Is a Shared Use Kitchen (and What Makes Ours Stand Out)

If you’ve been researching how to take your food business to the next level, chances are you’ve come across the term shared-use kitchen — sometimes called a commissary kitchen, rental kitchen, or commercial kitchen for rent. But what does it actually mean?

A shared-use kitchen is a fully licensed, inspected commercial facility that’s available to multiple food businesses on a flexible rental basis. Instead of investing thousands of dollars building out your own space, you can rent time in a professional kitchen that meets all local and state health department requirements — without the overhead, stress, or long-term commitment.

At Florida Chefs Workshop, we’ve built our reputation as one of the most trusted shared kitchens in the St. Petersburg and Pinellas County area by doing things differently:

✅ Fully Licensed & Health Department Approved

We’re proud to offer a state-certified, health department-approved kitchen — which means you can produce your food legally and confidently. Whether you’re bottling sauces, prepping catering trays, or running a mobile food truck operation, our facility meets the stringent standards required for commercial food production in Florida.

We also work closely with both the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Department of Agriculture, helping ensure that your licensing process runs smoothly from start to finish. Whether you’re applying for a license or scheduling an inspection, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

✅ Flexible Rental Plans

We understand that every food business is at a different stage. That’s why we offer many rental options — so whether you’re just starting out or ramping up production, you only pay for the time and space you need.

Looking for a commercial kitchen for rent in St. Petersburg? Need a commissary kitchen near Clearwater? Want something close to Tampa or just across the Skyway in Manatee County? You’re in the right place.

✅ Clean, Well-Maintained, and Fully Equipped

Our kitchen isn’t just licensed — it’s also clean, organized, and equipped with professional-grade appliances that meet the needs of bakers, caterers, food trucks, and packaged food producers. You’ll find everything from convection ovens and prep tables to cold storage, dry storage, and dedicated dishwashing areas.

We take pride in our attention to cleanliness and maintenance, and we encourage every food entrepreneur who tours our facility to compare. When you walk into Florida Chefs Workshop, you'll feel confident that your food is being produced in a space that reflects your own high standards.

✅ More Than a Kitchen — A Platform for Growth

We’re not a ghost kitchen or a faceless rental facility. We are a collaborative culinary community committed to helping local food businesses succeed. Many of our clients start small and scale up through support, consistency, and shared knowledge.

Whether you're just launching or you're looking to expand your brand into the next phase, our team is here to help you make it happen.

Who We Serve: Diverse Culinary Entrepreneurs Welcome

At Florida Chefs Workshop, we believe that great food deserves a great space — no matter what stage your business is in. That’s why we proudly serve a wide range of food entrepreneurs across St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and surrounding areas. Whether you're rolling through town in a food truck, launching a catering company, baking your way to retail, or bottling your next best-seller, we’ve got the space, support, and structure to help you thrive.

Here’s a closer look at who we serve — and how we help them grow:

🚚 Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food trucks are a vibrant part of the Tampa Bay food scene, and we’re proud to be a licensed food truck commissary kitchen that checks all the boxes:

• Prep space, cold storage, and dry storage for ingredients and supplies

• On-site cleaning stations for equipment and utensils

• Commissary verification support for DBPR and Dept. of Agriculture compliance

• Flexible hours to accommodate event schedules and late-night service

  
  

Whether you're based in St. Pete, Clearwater, or just over the bridge in Manatee County, our commissary kitchen helps you stay compliant, stocked, and ready to roll.

🥘 Caterers

Catering professionals need a reliable, scalable space to plan, prep, and execute events of all sizes. We provide a clean, spacious, and fully licensed kitchen designed to help you deliver excellence with every dish.

• Ample prep tables and equipment for large-batch cooking

• Cold and dry storage for event staging

• Easy access for pick-ups and transport to event venues

• Month-to-month or one-time rentals to match your busy schedule

  
  

Whether you’re catering weddings in St. Pete, corporate events in Tampa, or private dinners in Clearwater, we’re here to support your success.

🧁 Bakers & Specialty Dessert Artists

From small-batch cookies to full-service bakeries, our space is built for creativity. We serve bakers and dessert entrepreneurs who need room to scale up beyond their home kitchens.

• Professional-grade ovens, mixers, and prep tools

• Flexible scheduling for overnight or early-morning baking

• Cold storage and safe packaging space for retail prep

• Compliance support for wholesale and cottage food transitions

  
  

We’ve been home to successful brands like Cookie Fueled Mama and Curious Cat Bakery, and we’re always ready to help the next sweet idea rise.

🧃 CPG Startups & Packaged Food Producers

Have a killer hot sauce, granola bar, or kombucha you’re ready to bring to market? We support Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) startups as they move from recipe to retail shelf.

• A licensed, food-safe environment for bottling, batching, and packaging

• Guidance on DBPR and Dept. of Agriculture licensing

• Storage for ingredients, packaging, and finished goods

• Flexible scheduling for production runs, test batches, or scale-ups

  
  

Whether you're shipping nationally or selling locally, we make sure your product is made the right way, the legal way, and the safe way.

No matter where you're coming from — a farmer’s market booth, a home kitchen, or a big idea scribbled on a napkin — Florida Chefs Workshop is here to support your growth. Our shared kitchen model lets you focus on what you do best: creating incredible food.

Community Over Competition: A Collaborative Culinary Hub

At Florida Chefs Workshop, we believe success tastes better when it’s shared. While some kitchens may offer space and nothing more, we’ve built something different — a community-first kitchen where food entrepreneurs support one another, share resources, and celebrate each other's wins.

From day one, our mission has been to create a professional, inclusive, and collaborative environment where businesses of all sizes can grow — not compete. We welcome everyone with respect, transparency, and a shared passion for doing great work in the kitchen.

Many of our members have gone from launching their first product or pop-up to landing local retail placement, expanding into new markets, or building out brick-and-mortar locations. Whether you're rolling out baked goods, scaling your catering calendar, or fine-tuning your packaged product, you’re never doing it alone here.

We don’t believe in hoarding knowledge. In fact, some of our best advice comes from the people working side-by-side in the space — swapping tips on vendors, packaging, scheduling, or even which markets are worth the booth fee.

Here, you’re not just another renter. You’re part of something bigger.

• Need help navigating the licensing process? We’ve been there — and we’ll walk you through it.

• Curious how to batch a product for wholesale? You can learn from others who’ve done it.

• Looking for a network of peers who get the hustle? You’ll find them right here.

  
  

That’s why businesses choose Florida Chefs Workshop — and stay.

We’re proud to be the go-to shared kitchen in Pinellas County, serving not only St. Petersburg but also the greater Tampa Bay region — including Clearwater, Manatee County, and beyond. And we’re even prouder of the culture we’ve cultivated: one built on collaboration, accountability, and mutual success.

Where Growth Happens: Launch, Learn, and Level Up

At Florida Chefs Workshop, we don’t just provide kitchen space — we provide the launchpad. Over the years, we’ve watched dozens of food businesses take root in our kitchen, grow strong, and then confidently graduate to their next level of success.

Some move on to open their own storefronts. Others land contracts with local retailers, scale into wholesale production, or invest in their own dedicated facilities. And while we’re always a little sad to see them go, we’re also proud — because that’s exactly what we’re here for.

We’re built to support every phase of your journey, from test batches and small-batch catering to full production runs and expanding operations. Whether your goal is to land shelf space in local stores, increase your event bookings, or secure food service contracts, we give you the legal, licensed, and flexible foundation you need to grow confidently.

We also know that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why we tailor our rental plans and support to match your business needs — and why so many food entrepreneurs across Pinellas County, Clearwater, St. Pete, Tampa, and Manatee County choose our kitchen when it’s time to get serious about scaling.

At Florida Chefs Workshop, it’s not about staying in one spot. It’s about helping you take the next step — and cheering you on when you do.

Strategic Location: Serving All of Pinellas and the Tampa Bay Region

Location matters — especially when you’re juggling production schedules, sourcing ingredients, making deliveries, or rolling out to your next event. That’s why Florida Chefs Workshop is proud to be centrally located in St. Petersburg, offering easy access to food entrepreneurs from across Pinellas County, Tampa, Clearwater, and even just over the Skyway Bridge into Manatee County.

Our kitchen is:

• Minutes from I-275, giving you quick north-south access across the Bay

• Close to downtown St. Pete, yet tucked in a convenient spot for loading, parking, and delivery

• Within reach for clients coming from Clearwater, Largo, Gulfport, Tampa, and Bradenton

  
  

Whether you're a food truck owner commuting from Manatee County, a baker serving the St. Pete and Clearwater markets, or a caterer operating events across Tampa Bay, you’ll find our location to be both accessible and efficient — a rare combination in the world of commercial kitchens.

Our clients love that they can:

• Prep in the morning and be on-site at events by noon

• Easily swing by for late-night or early-morning kitchen access

• Schedule ingredient deliveries directly to the kitchen

• Serve multiple markets from a single, central hub

  
  

For many businesses, this one location supports multiple revenue streams — food truck events in Tampa, farmers markets in Clearwater, retail deliveries in St. Pete — all without the need to bounce between kitchens or waste time in traffic.

If you're looking for a shared kitchen in the Tampa Bay area that helps you cover more ground and grow your business footprint, Florida Chefs Workshop is the smart choice.

How to Get Started: Your Kitchen Is Waiting

Ready to take your food business to the next level? Getting started at Florida Chefs Workshop is simple, straightforward, and built around your schedule.

Whether you’re just exploring your options or already have recipes ready to scale, we make it easy to connect and get cooking.

• Visit our website to learn more about our Requirements and Pricing Options — everything is laid out clearly so you know exactly what to expect.

  
  

• Ready to get started? Fill out our online application form here:

• 👉 www.floridachefsworkshop.com/application

• Have questions? We’re here to help:

• 📧 Email us at customerservice@floridachefsworkshop.com

• 📞 Or give us a call at 727-308-1256

  
  

We’re happy to answer your questions, schedule a tour, or guide you through the licensing process — whatever you need to take that next big step.

Our doors are open, our kitchen is clean and fully equipped, and our team is ready to welcome you into the culinary community we’ve been building in St. Petersburg for nearly 7 years.