We recently connected with Lauren Silverstein and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

About a year ago, upon talking to a local restaurant owner, I learned that the mom of one of his employees made incredible tamales. And every week, this employee took orders from his colleagues at the restaurant and brought them home to his mom. My first thought was: I want to try these tamales! My second thought was: I don’t work at this restaurant, and I’m not in the personal network of this employee and his mom, so the chances of me trying these tamales are pretty low. Disappointment and frustration set in. And then, the opportunist in me took over and I had a third thought: I can connect the dots. There are probably many people like me who love discovering new, really good food, especially when it means supporting local culinary talent. And, there are probably many people like this employee’s mom who are working as “natural entrepreneurs”. They have ambition and tenacity, but without storefronts or large marketing teams, their talent isn’t well known.

Rising Kitchens was born from a simple belief: talent deserves to be discovered.

Lauren, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m the founder of Rising Kitchens, a venture that opens doors for underrepresented culinary entrepreneurs by connecting them with customers, resources, and real economic opportunities. My background is in impact assessment, evaluation, and strategy, ensuring that well-intentioned ideas lead to measurable success. Before launching Rising Kitchens, I spent my career defining success metrics and aligning strategy to drive meaningful change—because good intentions alone aren’t enough.

Rising Kitchens provides a platform for talented food entrepreneurs who have the skills but lack access to the networks, capital, or visibility needed to grow. We solve this by bridging the gap between hidden talent and untapped demand—partnering with businesses, law firms, and organizations that source food while offering hands-on support to our chefs. Unlike traditional food incubators, we don’t just train—we build direct connections to customers, integrating small businesses into the existing economy.

What sets us apart is that we’re not a charity—we’re creating a marketplace where there wasn’t one, making it easier for businesses to source diverse, high-quality food and for culinary entrepreneurs to thrive on their own merits. I’m most proud of seeing our first ten chefs turn their craft into viable businesses. Their success fuels my passion for connecting the dots, breaking down systemic barriers, and expanding access to opportunity.

For anyone interested in supporting diverse culinary talent—whether as a customer, a partner, or a fellow advocate—I’d love to connect. This is just the beginning, and I’m excited to see how far we can go.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’ve always believed in discovering your own talent and turning it into a career—but first, you have to be able to try it. When I was in 7th grade, our school organized a Career Day. I chose physical therapy for my career of choice. I researched it, bought my first business suit, and presented my findings to my classmates. By high school, I wanted to test the path before committing my college years to it, so I created an apprenticeship program with a local Physical Therapy office, shadowing professionals after school. It didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t the right fit, but the lesson stuck with me: I had the opportunity to explore before investing significant time and money. That’s exactly what we do at Rising Kitchens. We work with talented individuals who know their craft but haven’t yet had the chance to test the market. Before they pour everything into a storefront or large marketing efforts, we provide a low-risk way to enter the industry, gain real customers, and see where their business can go.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our reputation in the market has been built by translating ideas into action. We don’t just tell customers about our mission to discover and support local talent—we give them a real, concrete way to participate. I use data to understand what our customers need and to measure our impact, ensuring we’re always improving. But just as important as the numbers are the relationships. We foster a true community—supporting our chefs with mentorship and professional development so they can thrive, and building strong relationships with customers so they feel connected to the impact they’re making. This combination of strategy and human connection has always been central to my leadership—creating buy-in, aligning teams around bold ideas, and turning vision into reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.risingkitchens.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingkitchens
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rising-kitchens/

Image Credits

Nitin Kamath
Jennifer Harris
Anne Mandell
Lesya Krivins, Svitlana Melnyk