A Recipe for Conversation: How Ignite Alumni Turned Dinner into Collaboration
Earlier this month, neighbors, entrepreneurs, and friends gathered outside the Kitchen Collective at 429 2nd Street—right on the future site of Market Square Park—for a free community dinner that felt like Portsmouth at its best. Hosted by the Kitchen Collective and owner Julia Biggs, an Ignite Portsmouth alum, “A Recipe for Conversation” served up more than a beautiful meal. It showcased the momentum of our local entrepreneurial ecosystem—and the way Ignite’s cohort model keeps fueling collaboration long after the boot camp ends.
About the Kitchen Collective
The Kitchen Collective is more than a shared commercial kitchen; it’s a food incubator where local makers turn ideas into market-ready products. From product development and recipe testing to business coaching and peer feedback, the Collective is designed for learning, connection, and growth. Holding this dinner outdoors at the building—on what will become Market Square Park—was a perfect symbol of community building in motion.
Who was at the table
Dozens of community members and entrepreneurs pulled up a chair for an evening that featured a lineup of Ignite alumni and local makers, including:
Appalachia Unveiled — Dan Smith, Year 1
Knead Noodles? — Sharon Nickell, Year 4
Roots of Recovery Herbs — Amanda Pratt, Year 5
KB Flower Farm — Kim Baker, Year 4
The Ignite effect
Ignite Portsmouth launched its first cohort in 2021. Fast forward to our fifth cohort this past July, and we’re seeing exactly what we hoped for: alumni from different years cross-pollinating, solving problems together, and creating new opportunities. The cohort model is simple—learn together, grow together—but the outcomes are powerful:
Shared sourcing: Alumni swap supplier lists, bulk-buy materials, and pass along local connections to keep costs down and quality up.
Marketing and storytelling: Founders co-promote product drops and events, amplify each other’s stories, and test messaging together before taking it to market.
Recipe testing and product development: Makers use the Kitchen Collective’s supportive environment to refine flavor, format, and packaging with peer feedback.
Business resources: Alumni trade templates, lenders, grant tips, and contacts—accelerating the learning curve for the next founder up.
Why This Matters for Portsmouth
Food brings people together, but this dinner did something more: it made space for founders to share their craft, their journeys, and their hopes for what’s next in Portsmouth’s future.
“A Recipe for Conversation illustrated perfectly the growth of our entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Portsmouth,” said Hub Entrepreneurship Coordinator Derrick C. Parker, who attended the event. “It not only allowed for great conversations around food, but also featured six Ignite alumni who have begun collaborating since taking part in the boot camp. This displays how important programming such as Ignite is to our community and the potential it can unlock in our entrepreneurs.”
What’s next
The Kitchen Collective plans to keep the conversation going with more community dinners. Up next is a Revolutionary War–themed historical dinner on Saturday, October 18, at 1308 Waller Street, held in conjunction with Watch Me Grow. This multicourse historic meal will serve as a fundraiser for both organizations. Tickets are $50. Keep an eye on the Kitchen Collective’s social media channels for registration info.
Ignite Portsmouth is the catalyst for new business in Portsmouth. This 8-week entrepreneurship boot camp is designed for anyone with a new idea, an early-stage venture, or plans to expand and grow. Learn more here.