11. Hot Bread Kitchen Incubator

La MarquettaLa Marqueta located on Park Avenue between 111th Street and 116th Street in East Harlem

You might recognize the home of our next two bakeries. La Marqueta has been in the news lately because of a $3 million renovation directed by the efforts of City Coucil Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Economic Development Corporation. It was also in the news last year, since it was directly across from the East Harlem Con Edition explosion.

At the back of La Marqueta, behind the many vendors, you will find the Hot Bread Kitchen Incubator.  We were lucky to catch Grace Moore, their communications manager, in her office the day we visited. Her business card announces the program as economic security for immigrant women and minority entrepreneurs by providing workforce development and support to aspiring bakers and food entrepreneurs. Their website indicates an opportunity to grow a business for the first two or three years without the cost of a building and equipping their own commercial kitchen. We got to see some of the women at work.  The incubator also has a retail bakery in the front portion of La Marqueta.