As the winter months progress, small food businesses in Tompkins County brace themselves for an array of challenges.
These challenges include potential decreases in footfall due to colder temperatures and inclement weather, as well as increased expenses for restaurants that rely on outdoor spaces for their business.
Amid these concerns, restaurants and food businesses look forward to opportunities to showcase their offerings and connect with their customers. For many businesses in Tompkins County, the 25th annual Chili Fest organized by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance on Saturday, March 4, presented this opportunity.
Cooking for the Community
The Chili Cook-Off not only supports local businesses, but also benefits the community by raising funds for local nonprofits and organizations. Over 40 local organizations participated in this year’s cook-off, vying for the title of Best Chili. Among these was last year’s “best vegan chili” title-holder – Southside Community Center.
“Last year, after I won for the veggie chili, 5 people had called and said – “can you make us some chili? We’ll pay you,” said Sharon Payne, the head chef at the Center.
Sharon Payne. (Source: Himadri Seth for Ithaca Week).
Payne has been competing at the cook-off for many years. The Chili Cook-Off always helps her and the center more exposure. “We get a lot of calls,” she says, “people say “Sharon, can you give us your recipe? And of course, I say no.
She adds that the exposure is especially beneficial in the winter months, and events like the cook-off help bring people together in an exuberant gathering during a time that can otherwise be frigid and solitary.“I love giving back to my community,” she says. “I love it. That’s all I can say. I love cooking.”Food for Empowerment Among the vendors at the cook-off was also 22-year-old Olivia Carpenter, founder of Via’s Cookies and recent Ithaca College graduate with a major in business administration and minor in entrepreneurship. Carpenter started her first cookie business in high school to support the costs of her education.She adds that the exposure is especially beneficial in the winter months, and events like the cook-off help bring people together in an exuberant gathering during a time that can otherwise be frigid and solitary.“I love giving back to my community,” she says. “I love it. That’s all I can say. I love cooking.”At Ithaca College, she participated in a business pitch competition and won – getting enough funding to make Via’s Cookies a reality. Once she started her cookie business, she wanted to make it about more than just “targeting” a set of customers to make a profit.
“Coming from a background of oppression and poverty and seeing all the people around me that are facing the same issues…I wanted to do something to combat that,” she said. “That’s why I came up with the donation of 5% of my profits to struggling BIPOC and LGBTQ+ students.” Via’s Cookies can now be found at various schools across New York State, including at Ithaca College, Cornell University, Syracuse University, and SUNY Cortland. Carpenter got involved with the Chili Cook-Off through a local program called the Youth Entrepreneurship Market, which helps disadvantaged students start and sustain their own businesses.
Carpenter teaches weekly entrepreneurship workshops for students who are a part of the program. “We gave them a stipend of $300. They can get $300 worth of supplies…we were just trying to make it so that they can make money for themselves,” she said. “You want to learn how to follow your passion, here you go.”
Ash Carpenter – Young Entrepreneur. (Source: Himadri Seth for Ithaca Week).The students got to showcase their products at the cook-off, helping them gain exposure for many of their budding businesses. The cook-off additionally helped Via’s Cookies gain further exposure. “There are a lot of people who come through Chili Fest. I use it as an opportunity to give out flyers about my business, make sure people take my business card, follow my Instagram,” she said.She added that because the cook-off allows her to bring in smaller people, it lets people taste her cookies, which helps her get more business. “In a few months we’ll see what Chili Fest has done,” she said, laughing.Olivia Carpenter, Via’s Cookies. (Source: Via Carpenter)
Your donation will support the student journalists of Ithaca College. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
