5 Ghost Kitchens Across Canada Available to Chefs

To say that COVID-19 dealt a heavy blow to the restaurant industry would be a massive understatement. Restaurants coast to coast were forced to close their doors for months on end as indoor dining was suspended. Sadly some restaurateurs who couldn’t ride out the storm were forced to make some tough choices. They either had to close for good or change their business model. Some of those who decided to change pivoted to takeout and delivery, creating their dishes in large shared kitchens.

These types of kitchens go by different names – ghost kitchens, virtual kitchens, cloud kitchens, commissaries, or hub kitchens, to name a few. While the names may differ, they do have a few things in common: there are no storefronts, no customer-facing staff, and they rely on food delivery apps.

Here are five kitchens across Canada where both seasoned chefs and aspiring chefs can get access to cooking space to create their dishes and also get some support for their businesses.

Coho Commissary operates four commercial kitchens across Vancouver. They offer space for an assortment of businesses such as food trucks, startup restaurants, and even established restaurants who need a little extra space.

One unique feature about their Strathcona location is that the on-site cafe offers many of the client-prepared foods on their menu. Coho’s main goal is to support their local businesses so they’ll often allow clients to use the cafe’s menu to introduce new menu items to the public.

Address: For a Coho Commissary location nearest you, click here. @cohocommissary

Back in 2019, father and son duo Herbert and Andrew Obrecht launched Culinary Coworking, Calgary’s first shared kitchen. At that time the main challenges restaurateurs were facing were high rents, property taxes, and high operating costs, which caused many restaurants to close down.

Times have changed and today the industry is facing a new set of obstacles. Apart from the well-equipped kitchen, Culinary Coworking also offers administrative space, storage areas (dry, cold, and freezer), loading bays, on-site parking, and more.

Address: 4517- 1st Street SE, Calgary, AB. @culinarycoworking

Over the past few years, the food scene in Hamilton has been getting a lot of attention with many experienced and novice chefs opening up restaurants in the city. For some, a physical space may not be possible and that’s where the Kitchen Collective comes in.

Kitchen Collective is described as “a non-profit, affordable commercial kitchen and culinary incubator designed to give aspiring entrepreneurs a boost in the industry as well as a collaborative space in which to launch their business and learn from each other.” Along with the kitchen, members also have access to a space that hosts workshops, demonstrations, and food events.

Address: 811 King St. East, Hamilton, ON. @yourkitchencoop

Kitchen24 boasts a massive 35,000 sq. ft. fully-equipped commercial kitchen. It’s big enough that many clients can work in the kitchen at the same time.

Clients also have access to a professional space for video production and photoshoots as well as space for events, cooking classes, product presentations, and cooking competitions.

Address: 100 Marmora St. Suite 200, Toronto, ON. @kitchen24_

Le Kitch markets itself as Montreal’s premier commercial kitchen.

There are three food production islands to accommodate several clients at the same time. Their space is well equipped so it’s very well suited to a variety of businesses, from full-time caterers to those that produce a variety of baked goods. Clients can rent their space by the hour, or, for those that visit on a more frequent basis, they offer monthly plans.

Address: 7720 Henri-Bourassa Blvd W, Montreal, QC.