A place at the table: How Idea Works Kitchen is serving opportunity

The opener: The Appleberry Mocktail Fizz

Featuring Figg’s Apple Pie cocktail mixer and Sassy’s Elderboost elderberry syrup

Korinna Goettel, founder of Figg’s, started bottling her signature drink mix long before she had access to a commercial kitchen.

The mix was inspired by apple pie moonshine, and it evolved into something more versatile. It’s something you could sip straight, spike, or dress up depending on your mood. 

When her full-time job was eliminated, she took the leap and went all in. Licensing, production, packaging, and sales, she taught herself everything.

There was no Idea Works at the time, no built-in support system. She had to forge every path herself.

Her first big break came when Wayne’s County Market invited her to feature in their wine tastings. That was the moment she realized her mix could work with just about anything. It gave her confidence.

The market saw the potential, too, and gave her a shot at retail space.

Korinna started as a food entrepreneur, now she leads Idea Works as Executive Director. She still bottles Figg’s there, but more than that, she guides others, sharing hard-won wisdom and heart.

The heat: Ruffled Feather Fermentation’s Black Cap Hot Sauce

Ruffled Feather Ferments is run by Chef Jack Moore, a proud fermentation and spice nerd whose early love for fiery sauces matured into a craft built on bold, thoughtful flavor.

He started at Idea Works after COVID, looking for a community kitchen that wouldn’t cost a fortune. 

“Once I got here, aside from the fact that it’s cheaper and available, it was just a great sense of community. Our brand is all about supporting our community, whether it’s our farmers, retailers, or chef partners, so that’s why I’m here.”

Their sauce is now on shelves at local grocers, mom-and-pop shops, and even Swensons statewide, for a limited time.

The sauce is made for everyone, even the people who don’t love hot sauce. “We didn’t want to make something so hot you couldn’t use it. This is about making your food taste better and making you enjoy it.”

It’s bold, approachable, with a heat that lingers like a good memory.

Starter: Cheeseballs from UR Worthy Catering

Bite-sized cheeseballs of garlic-herb cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and smoky bacon in one creamy, salty, herby bite. Paired with pretzel sticks, they were unfussy, addictive, and wholly devoured.

I spoke with Candace Watson-Cole, founder of UR Worthy and Rubies, who turned her love for events into a way to help women in the program.

The initiative gives these women meaningful work and income while they heal and rebuild, bridging the gap until they’re ready for full employment.

“Before I even got connected with Idea Works, I had no clue how to go about starting a catering business.

“But getting connected with Idea Works has helped expand that, as well as making sure that everything was in place, and having that commercial kitchen helps, especially smaller businesses.”

Every order placed through UR Worthy comes with a promise:

“You’re not just booking a caterer. You’re helping someone find their worth while also making your event worthy.”

Appetizer: Charcuterie by Boards & Bites by Bri

This board had it all: elements that were fresh, sweet, salty, savory, and crunchy. My favorite part was making my own creation- jam on a baguette, stacked with peppered salami and brie, chased with a grape.

That’s the magic of charcuterie: you get to mix and match and experiment with flavors and textures without worrying that you’re wasting food because each bite can be changed as you pick things off the board. 

Briana Tyler launched Boards & Bites by Bri in 2023, inspired by TikToks she watched during COVID.

“I thought, I could do that,” Tyler said. “And of course, I’m a millennial, so just growing up eating Lunchables and stuff like that was inspiration too.”

Now, she uses her boards to bring people together.

“Making charcuterie boards and eating them together is a good experience,” Tyler said. “Just for you to slow down and savor the different flavors and bites.”

She joined Idea Works in April and hit the ground running.

“I feel more professional and I’m doing things right,” she said. “Everyone I’ve met there has been kind. I really love Korinna, and I love being in the kitchen; it’s a clean, safe environment. I feel like it’s my second home now.”

First plate: Seafood Pasutice from MD Creative Blends

Chef Michael Daniels doesn’t just cook. He channels tradition, boldness, and technical precision into every dish.

His seafood pasutice hits fast with a rush of flavor. A tomato-based sauce brings brightness and depth, laced with what tasted like paprika, cayenne, and garlic—staples of Creole cooking.

The shrimp and scallops were so fresh you’d forget you’re in Ohio. Tender, perfectly cooked, standing tall in the sauce instead of getting lost in it.

The heat builds slowly. It starts as a glow, climbs until your nose runs, but never overpowers.

It pulled me straight back to family meals in Louisiana and my Granny’s kitchen. Meals that were loud with flavor, built with care, seasoned in layers that spoke to time and pride. 

“I’m always working outside the box,” he said. “I wanted to do everything. I wanted to learn everything.”

That hunger shows.

As a chef educator, Daniels trained across cuisines: French, Italian, Indian, Mexican, and soul food, blending global techniques with personal style. This dish didn’t hold back. It brought the fire. And in a small Ohio town, that’s rare… just like Daniels.

Innovative Cuisine at Legendary Status isn’t just a motto. It’s exactly what he serves.

Second Plate: Black Cap Glazed Short Ribs from Gertz Culinary

Featuring Black Cap hot sauce, Fullfillment Micro Farm’s edible flowers, and produce from Richland Gro-Op.

Chef Will Skinner, owner of Gertz Culinary, delivered a quiet masterclass in balance and collaboration.

The short rib was melt-in-your-mouth tender, cured in the seasonal jalapeño and ramp Black Cap hot sauce, then slow-cooked in a stock made from their traditional fermented blend.

That cooking liquid was reduced down until it became a glaze, subtle and tangy, clinging to each bite. Then they used even more of that same hot sauce to craft a jus for the vegetables, tying everything together.

A coconut congee was served on the side, creamy, slightly sweet, velvety in texture. A spoonful after each bite of rib reset the palate, softening the richness, cooling the heat.

The vegetables all came from Richland Gro-Op, each served pickled, roasted, and raw, with every preparation revealing a new side. Proof that even humble veggies can shine when handled with care. The pickled radishes and turnips especially lit up my palate. I don’t usually crave root veg, but this was sharp, clean, bright, and full of flavor.

The dish was plated with edible flowers, adding a touch of whimsy. They were colorful and delicate. Each has its own flavor if you stop to taste them individually: some sweet, some bitter, some peppery.

This plate was beautiful. Not just in how it looked, but in what it represented: local farms, collaboration, and care. It had all the elegance of fine dining but none of the ego. It wasn’t trying to impress. It was simply sharing flavor, craft, and connection. A reflection of someone who knows food can nourish more than hunger.

“I just want to highlight how good produce is in the area and showcase what the flavor profile could look like with proper care,” Skinner shared.

When you hear Will talk about ingredients, you know it’s more than cooking, it’s a mission. “When we’re hired, we’re going to give you the best product we can, and we’re going to try to incorporate some of the farmers within this area.”

That commitment translates into dishes that don’t just fill you up, they nourish. “It’s cool to be able to offer a nutrient-dense food at a value that people can afford; it’s affordable and approachable.”

At its core, Skinner’s vision is bigger than food on a plate. “We want to change the way people are not only eating but the way they are thinking about food.”

Dessert: Southern Chocolate Cake by Parsons Family Catering

Light, moist, and not too sweet, this cake was made with sour cream and half and half. It was topped with semi-sweet and white chocolate chips that re-hardened into a slight crunch, a simple, perfect ending.

Aaron Shepherd didn’t set out to be a caterer.

“I kind of accidentally fell into it,” he said. A friend’s 50th birthday party needed food, so Aaron stepped in, and suddenly, people wanted more. What started as a favor quickly became a business.

His cooking is about comfort and connection, rooted in southern flavors but also sprinkled with family traditions.

“I want people to have a memory when they eat my food,” Aaron says. “Like when someone said, ‘This reminded me of what my mom used to make.”

In the end, Parsons Family Catering is a tribute to home, family, and the power of food to connect and comfort. Aaron’s not just feeding people; he’s sharing a story, one plate at a time.

He jokes, “If you leave one of our caterings hungry, that’s on you. We’ll feed you like you’re at your grandma’s house.”

Aaron’s Southern chocolate cake holds a special memory of his Grandma. “She was known as the Chocolate Lady at her nursing home,” Aaron recalls, sneaking her bites of this cake, their sweet rebellion amid dietary restrictions.

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This visit reminded me that food connects us. It nourishes bodies, minds, and relationships. It’s creative, expressive, and deeply personal — and these entrepreneurs pour themselves into every bite.

Take Richland Gro-Op, for example. They don’t just grow veggies that end up on tables across the county; they’re also educators and community builders, fighting food deserts and training local farmers.

Their mission is bigger than food; it’s about empowerment, creating jobs, and fueling the local culinary scene with fresh, vibrant ingredients.

What stuck with me most wasn’t just the flavor. It was the community. At Idea Works, an eclectic mix of passionate food lovers, newcomers like Bri, and seasoned pros like Michael work side by side and sometimes together.

Everyone I talked to spoke about the openness, the resources, the hustle, and most of all, the sense of belonging.

Thinking about starting something of your own? Everyone I talked to said the same thing: Idea Works gives you the chance to chase your dream without drowning in overhead. The tools, space, and support are ready and waiting.

The advice is simple; it takes a lot of hard work, there’s no sugarcoating. But it is worth every damn second. If you want it, don’t wait around, just go for it.

I feel lucky I got to be there. To listen. To taste. To witness the pride, hustle, and heart behind every bite.

If you ever needed proof that Richland County is full of flavor, creativity, and resilience, it’s right here.

Where should I go next? Let me know! 👇