Over the last few years, tens of thousands of small businesses have opened in the city, but very few are owned by women—especially low-income women of color. Hot Bread Kitchen is working to change that.
Women across the city who aspire to turn family recipes and creative culinary ideas into small businesses face a series of obstacles, including securing financing, finding affordable commercial kitchen space, and attracting their first customers.
With support from The Trust, Hot Bread Kitchen is expanding its food-entrepreneurship programs, which guide New Yorkers who face barriers through these challenges by providing business training, coaching, capital, and a flexible path to economic mobility.
The nonprofit helped Keesha O’Galdez, the founder of Live Loud Foods, turn years of culinary experience into a burgeoning gourmet foods brand.
“I took a leap and went to the National Gourmet Institute. That started my journey as a private chef. I spent 13 years in that realm, learning more about everything in food and thinking, ‘What else do I want to do and how else can I grow?’
I used to have pop-up dinners with wine pairings and courses. The first one had couscous, greens, and candied pistachios on the salad. All of a sudden, I saw people searching out the nuts, asking, “Can we have some more?” So, I started thinking, how do we bring this to life? And then we built the brand story. The whole idea is to have the different flavors represent the cultures of NYC.
I found out about Hot Bread Kitchen from another entrepreneur who went through its Seed program and recommended I apply for the next cohort. The fact that they sponsored commercial kitchen access and offered mentorship was huge.
There was this bespoke experience of working with the staff. People rally and say, ‘I can help you, and I can connect somebody with you.’
One of my big goals this year was to be at the Fancy Food Show, a specialty food trade show, at the Javits Center. Hot Bread Kitchen helped make it happen and helped me staff my booth. To be next to Nestle, to see that a small brand can have a fight—that’s amazing.
Living in New York, it’s not easy operating a food business. Every day is another hurdle. To get into a commercial kitchen, you need a license. The team at Hot Bread Kitchen said, ‘Please don’t give up.’ They helped plug me in—having someone else in the background, getting us right, working together as a team.
With Hot Bread Kitchen, they say, ‘Once a member, always a member.’ Everyone has something to offer, whether you’re a member or an industry expert. That’s their strong point, getting people together. They really are in the race with you; they get in the weeds with you as a business owner.
It’s more than a program. There are human beings behind it who truly believe in you.”
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Shop Hot Bread Kitchen’s Holiday Marketplace
Keesha O’Galdez is a featured entrepreneur in Hot Bread Kitchen’s 2025 Holiday Marketplace. This curated marketplace celebrates small businesses, with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to the entrepreneurs to help expand their reach and strengthen their businesses during the holiday season.
Open until December 19, the marketplace offers flavor-forward gifts perfect for friends, colleagues, or treating yourself! Click here to visit the Marketplace.
