Inside Nimbus River North: hourly kitchens

Oct 31

For food business owners in Chicago, access to flexible kitchen space is essential for growth and success. Whether you're a caterer, running a pop-up, or managing a meal delivery service, Nimbus River North offers hourly kitchen options tailored to your needs. With fully equipped kitchens available on demand, you can focus on scaling your business without the overhead costs of maintaining a permanent space.

In this post, we'll walk you through how our hourly kitchen memberships work, break down the kitchen spaces available, and explain why Nimbus River North is the go-to kitchen rental option for food businesses in Chicago.

How our hourly kitchen memberships work

At Nimbus River North, we offer two types of hourly kitchen memberships to suit your specific needs:

Standard membership

Our standard membership is perfect for food entrepreneurs seeking consistent access to a professional kitchen in Chicago. With a 3-month commitment, this option offers ongoing availability and stability for your culinary operations.

Commitment: Minimum 3 months, 32 hours/month
Initiation fee: $500
Booking: Kitchen shifts available in 4-hour increments
Access hours: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM

This membership is ideal for established food businesses that need regular access to a kitchen for meal prep, production, and event catering.

Temporary membership

For those with short-term projects or who need access to a commercial kitchen for a limited time, our temporary membership is a great fit. This option provides the same access to kitchen spaces but without a long-term commitment.

Commitment: Up to 14 days, $2000 minimum spend
Initiation fee: $250
Booking: Kitchen shifts available in 4-hour increments
Access hours: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM, additional overnight options available upon request.

This membership is perfect for chefs testing new concepts, event caterers, or anyone needing flexible, short-term kitchen access.

Flexible booking hours

Once you're onboarded, booking a kitchen is as easy as selecting your preferred time slot. Kitchen shifts are available in 4-hour blocks, allowing you to schedule your time based on your production demands:

6:00 AM - 10:00 AM
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

This flexibility ensures you can manage your kitchen time effectively, whether you're preparing for a breakfast event or packaging meals late into the evening.

Exploring the different hourly kitchen units

Nimbus River North offers a range of kitchens designed for all types of food production. Whether you're looking for ample prep space, specialized equipment, or the ability to combine multiple kitchens, we've got you covered.

K12 – 385 sqft

K12 is a spacious unit located next to our large dish pit. It’s fully equipped for high-volume production and can be combined with neighboring kitchens for extra space.

Equipment:

Tilt skillet
Single-stack convection oven
US 6-burner range
144" prep table
2x 72" refrigerated worktop
Prep sink and hand sink

K13 – 350 sqft

K13 offers slightly less space but still comes with all the essential equipment you need for efficient meal production.

Equipment:

US 6-burner range
36" griddle
30 lb fryer
Single-stack convection oven
72" prep table
Three-compartment sink

K14 – 250 sqft

Need something more compact? K14 is a smaller, efficient kitchen that’s perfect for small-scale operations.

Equipment:

6-burner range
36" griddle
72" refrigerated worktop
24" prep table

K15 – 250 sqft

Similar in size to K14, K15 includes extra oven capacity for food businesses needing more baking power.

Equipment:

Combi oven
Single-stack convection oven
72" prep table

K16 – 350 sqft

One of our largest units, K16 offers extensive space and a wide variety of equipment, perfect for businesses handling larger production volumes.

Equipment:

38" griddle
2x US 6-burner ranges
Double stack convection oven
3x 72" prep tables

Mix and match: scale your production

One of the unique benefits of Nimbus River North is the ability to combine kitchens. If your business requires more space or different types of equipment, you can mix and match kitchen units to suit your needs. For example, if you're scaling up production, you could combine K12 and K13 for increased cooking and prep space.

This flexibility is ideal for businesses managing large catering events, meal delivery services, or food production for multiple outlets.

Additional packing space

If your food business doesn't require heavy-duty cooking equipment but you still need a dedicated space for packaging, Nimbus River North has packing stations available in 2-hour shifts at an affordable rate. These stations are perfect for businesses needing space to package and label products for delivery or distribution.

Why choose Nimbus River North?

As a food business owner in Chicago, access to flexible, fully-equipped kitchen spaces can be the key to your success. Here’s why Nimbus River North is the perfect fit:

Flexibility: Book kitchen spaces on-demand without the overhead costs of maintaining your own space.
Scalability: Combine kitchen units for larger projects or manage multiple operations at once.
Convenience: Fully equipped with top-of-the-line kitchen equipment, saving you time and money on setup.
Community: Work alongside other food businesses in a collaborative, supportive environment.

Whether you're a seasoned chef, a pop-up enthusiast, or a food entrepreneur looking to expand your business, Nimbus River North has the kitchen solutions you need to thrive.