Good To Go

Two applicants will be selected from this initial application window as outlined below:

• In partnership with Pepsi Dig In, JBF will select a concept submitted by a Black chef or restaurateur for residency beginning September 2023 and lasting 6 months. This applicant will receive support from the James Beard Foundation and Great Performances, as well as additional wrap-around training and support from Pepsi Dig In and their partners.
• A second concept will be selected by JBF in line with the Foundation’s broader values for launch March 1, 2024 and lasting 6 months. This applicant will receive support from the James Beard Foundation and Great Performances.

If you have an idea for a fast-casual concept and you would like to see that idea come to life in New York City with the James Beard Foundation, here is what you need to do:   

• Consider your menu: Good To Go is a high-volume, fast-casual kiosk space located in a busy market hall in NYC. We have access to a full kitchen, but all dishes should be fast and casual! We have a fryer, Turbo Chef rapid cook oven, and a Winston/AltoShaam cook and hold. Applicants must be ready to provide the following:
• Proposed menu which includes nine (9) total dishes: Three Appetizers, Three Entrée/Mains, Three Sides/Desserts. For each dish:  
  • Name of Dish
  • Components (two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, diced onion, sesame seed bun)  
  • Dish Serving temperature (Hot or Cold)
  • Cooking methods for prep
  • Cooking method to order
  • MSRP Food cost, %
• Additional info needed:
  • Bio/origin story
  • Social handles for your current businesses
  • Your own mission and values, mentorship and leadership opportunities you provide, and sustainability goals
  • A professional reference 
  • Images of your proposed menu.

To apply you must register for a Survey Monkey account. Click on "Register" in the top right corner. You can register before the application opens and you should! Make sure that noreply_grants@jamesbeard.org is whitelisted as a safe sender in your email client so that you receive all our emails. Check out how to do this here. Your email must be verified to submit an application. If you already have an account and do not remember your password, please hit "forgot password" and reset your password through that process. Use your browser to Print to PDF if you would like to review a hard copy of the application requirements prior to launch.

Please review the criteria and FAQ below before beginning the application.

Eligibility Requirements:  

To qualify for the Good To Go Kiosk you must:

• Applicant must acknowledge and be in line with the Foundation’s values
• Concept must be compelling from a marketing perspective and convey a delicious menu.
• Concept must be executable in our operational footprint (see FAQ for more information)
• Applicants must commit to a six-month term, including regular meetings and review sales reports, report reviews, and regular site visits.
• Applicants for this application period must reside within the tri-state area
• Have SSN (Social Security Number) or TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) for payments.
• Submit a professional recommendation letter; plus, a resume pr CV.  
• You should be available for any follow-up interviews as needed.  
• Complete this application in full by application close date.  
• Applicant must have previous experience operating a food and beverage business (i.e., Owner, Executive Chef, Chef de Cuisine, Director of Operations, etc.)
• If you’d like to be considered to be our first incubator in partnership with Pepsi Dig In, you must confirm your identity as Black or African American in the application
• Applicants must be fully vaccinated and boosted and provide proof of vaccination status.

TIMELINE

• April 1, 2023: application launch
• April 30, 2023: application closes
• May 1-30, 2023: committee review of applications
• First week of June 2023: selected concepts notified and asked to accept
• June – August 2023: JBF, Great Performances, and Pepsi Dig In work with the concept launching in September in advance of opening
• September 2023: the first concept, in partnership with Pepsi Dig In, launches
• November 2023: JBF and Great Performances work with the second concept to prep for launch in March of 2024
• February 29, 2024: the first concept, in partnership with Pepsi Dig In, concludes
• March 1, 2024: the second concept, chosen by JBF, launches
• April 1, 2024: application launch for the next cycle

Good To Go by JBF is an incubator for new, fast-casual concepts from established operators who embody the James Beard Foundation’s mission and values. Through an application process, we plan to select innovative business concepts and provide culinary professionals with critical resources to bring their vision to life, with the first “incubated” concept launching in Sept 2023. As proof of concept, special menu items will only be found at Good To Go.

We will be looking for an exciting idea from someone who has experience running a food business, and who is looking for a financially supportive space to test and refine that concept. For example, this could be first time brick-and-mortar outposts from beloved pop-up concepts, or seasoned operators looking to grow and evolve their businesses. Once selected, JBF and Great Performances (our operational and food service partner) will support participants throughout the cycle of their involvement—refining their menu, reviewing their projected P&L, providing guidance on branding and communications, prepping for launch, and more.

The ultimate goal is to help the businesses launch and go out on their own after their engagement in this program. That is why the support we will be providing, as outlined above, will be critical to their success.

Yes, each incubator concept will receive a stipend of $3,500 per month while in residence.

Applications for the Good To Go by JBF kiosk, including criteria, timeline, and details, will be available on the James Beard Foundation website beginning April 1, 2023. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of internal and external volunteers.

JBF is assuming the financial risk with the Good to Go Kiosk, whereas you will assume all financial risk if you secure your own kiosk space. By launching your business with JBF, you have a period of time to refine the menu, gain real-life feedback from guests, and determine the right price point for your menu, in a financially supportive setting. Additionally, you will receive a stipend of $3,500 per month while in residence, which is intended to assist in generating revenue that will allow you to secure your own space, if desired, at the end of your incubator residency with JBF.

Invites are locally based in the NYC region to start while we flesh out the operation with the intent of considering business concepts from across the country for years 2 and beyond.

As stated above, execution of the food and service in the kiosk will be handled by Great Performances and the staff they recruit to work in the space as concepts change.

As we launch the Good To Go by JBF kiosk, we are delighted to feature a selection of dishes crafted by our Beard House Fellows before we launch our first incubator concept in the Fall of 2023. This initial window will help us refine the model prior to full scale launch of the program.

Pepsi Dig In is a platform designed to drive access, business growth, and awareness to Black-owned restaurants. Pepsi Dig In helps diners discover, dine at, or order from Black-owned restaurants while providing resources, mentorship, and training to Black restaurateurs. Utilizing the scale and reach of PepsiCo and its partners, Pepsi Dig In aims to help Black-owned restaurants overcome the barriers they disproportionally face while creating opportunities for them to thrive.

Launched in 2020 as part of PepsiCo's Racial Equality Journey (REJ), the company committed $50 million to support Black-owned businesses over five years, part of PepsiCo's larger REJ initiative totaling more than $400 million to increase representation within the company, support Black-owned businesses, and help to create economic opportunities in the communities it serves.

We have a shared commitment to support Black-owned restaurants and look forward to bringing that commitment to life at Good To Go by JBF.

We are focusing on seasoned operators to start, while we flesh out the operation. Our intention is to consider concepts from chefs who do not have extensive operational experience for year 2 and beyond.

Good To Go by JBF is a kiosk within the broader Market 57, which will operate from 11:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., 7 days a week. Prep space and cooking equipment is limited and thus, the menu needs to be able to be executed in a fast-casual setting, using the space and equipment that is available. Equipment currently includes: fryer, Turbo Chef rapid cook oven, and a Winston/AltoShaam cook and hold.