Our History

Our Story

Founder Jessamyn Waldman Rodriquez’s idea for Hot Bread Kitchen was inspired by her combined experiences as a social innovator, a baker, and advocate for the rights of women and immigrants. She envisioned an immigrant baking collective, where women with diverse histories would come together to sharpen their skills and secure meaningful careers in a male-dominated food industry in New York City.

Over the past decade, Hot Bread Kitchen has fulfilled that founding vision and expanded our support to include both women and emerging food entrepreneurs, refining our programming to grow careers and businesses across the culinary sector. And every day, we use our connections and influence to shape a larger dialogue about a more diverse, equitable and inclusive food industry.

Our approach turns careers in food into financial stability. We support 300+ women from 60 countries, 250+ food businesses, and created $100+ million in economic impact. And we continue to rise.

2008

Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez founds

Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez founds Hot Bread Kitchen from her Brooklyn home kitchen to help immigrant women gain economic mobility through careers in food. Women begin training and many go on to begin their career in our bakery. TODAY: 280 women have been placed in jobs around New York City through 50+ employment partners.

2010

Hot Bread Kitchen moves into East Harlem’s La Marqueta

Hot Bread Kitchen moves into East Harlem’s La Marqueta and our incubator program launches, providing shared commercial kitchen space and support for women, immigrant, and minority entrepreneurs launching food businesses in NYC.

TODAY: Space is just the beginning for our Incubator members. Our entrepreneurs become part of a culinary community with access to training, expertise, markets and networks.

Read about us in The New York Times

2012

Hot Bread Kitchen “Almacen,” Hot Bread Kitchen’s first retail location

Hot Bread Kitchen “Almacen,” Hot Bread Kitchen’s first retail location, opens at La Marqueta carrying Hot Bread Kitchen’s full line of bread and products from small business members.

TODAY: Hot Bread Kitchen small business member Amuse Bouche has taken over the stall at La Marqueta and offers French fare Wednesday—Sunday.

2015

The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook is published

“The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook” is published, winning the 2015 Yahoo! Food Cookbook of the Year and the Food52 Piglet Award! Alongside the recipes, you’ll find the story of Hot Bread Kitchen and the women and small business owners who are an integral part of our story.

Shop the Hot Bread Kitchen cookbook at most booksellers and online.

2016

Our incubator helps launch 36 food business start ups

Our incubator helps launch 36 diverse food businesses selling everything from desserts to tamales to popcorn (like Pipsnacks!)

TODAY: We have served 250+ food businesses, 90% of which are run by women and people of color. Read more about our Incubator.

2017

Our training program moves out of the bakery and into the International Culinary Center

Our training program moves out of the bakery and into the International Culinary Center in Soho. The world-renowned cooking school provides in-kind space to hold our new curriculum that expands into a broader culinary arts curriculum, more effectively meet employer needs and increase the amount of women we can serve.

TODAY: Hot Bread Kitchen places 100+ women per year in jobs in the food industry with 50+ employment partners across New York City.

2018

Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez hands over the reins to new CEO, Shaolee Sen.

Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez hands over the reins to new CEO, Shaolee Sen.

TODAY: Shaolee helped Hot Bread Kitchen quadruple the number of women served. Read about Hot Bread Kitchen’s first decade and vision for the future in “Investing in Breadwinners: 10 Years of Impact”

2019

We surpass our goal to quadruple the number of women placed in jobs

We surpass our goal to quadruple the number of women placed in jobs from 2016-2019 and place 108 women with 50+ employer partners in New York City.

TODAY: We continue to refine and strengthen our workforce model to couple culinary training with wrap-around services and long-term support for our alumni. Learn more about our workforce program.

2019

Hot Bread Kitchen launches “Entrepreneur in Residence”

Hot Bread Kitchen launches “Entrepreneur in Residence” program at Chelsea Market, providing key Manhattan retail access to small businesses.

2019

We relaunch our best-selling challah braid

Hot Bread Kitchen relaunches our best-selling traditional challah braid and Parker House Rolls—now kosher!

2020

Hot Bread Kitchen responds to COVID-19

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hot Bread Kitchen quickly adapted to provide support for women, small business owners, and communities.

Read about our support for our community through emergency meal relief, cash stipends, and more.

2020

FM Training

Hot Bread Kitchen, in partnership with the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation, expanded our workforce training program to include Facility Management, a rapidly growing and high-paying field with opportunities for professional advancement.

2021

Chef Collective

As of June 2021, Hot Bread Kitchen’s Chef Collective, in partnership with Food For Soul’s Refetorrio, distributed 15,000+ meals in the Harlem community, rescuing 2,600 pounds of food in the process.