LAKELAND, Fla. — During the pandemic, chef Kevin Aydelott got the motivation he needed to start his own business.
“I’d been wanting to do my own business for a while. I was actually furloughed from my job for nine months, and I had a lot of time to think,” said Aydelott, CEO of The Cultivated Pig.
Aydelott called in his best friend, Jimmy Fox, and the duo started The Cultivated Pig.
The partners bring their "live-fire cooking" to various pop-up events throughout Lakeland. Their Texas-inspired BBQ brisket dishes are a fan favorite.
“Prime brisket sandwich, prime brisket nachos, prime brisket loaded mac and cheese, anything brisket,” Aydelott said.
The team is ready to take their passion to the next level.
“Hoping it will Catapult us into an actual brick and mortar,” said Jimmy Fox, owner of The Cultivated Pig.
Business incubator, Catapult has selected The Cultivated Pig as the first business to participate in its restaurant residency program. This first-of-its-kind program gives entrepreneurs the experience of running a full-scale restaurant.
The National Restaurant Association estimates about 60% of restaurants fail in their first year of operation.
The Cultivated Pig will serve lunch and dinner four days a week. The owners will meet regularly with an advisory board of Lakeland restaurateurs.
“Give them feedback on their business. On areas like sourcing, menu design, and operations. They get to leverage the experience for these entrepreneurs into their own business and be able to accelerate their growth in a strategic way,” said Maggie Leach, Catapult Kitchen Director.
The goal is to open a successful restaurant after completing the residency program.
“Our hope is to give members the opportunity to test their concept, grow their customer base, and record their sales. In the future, they can bring their sales to a future landlord or loan officer and secure funding and space for a permanent location,” said Leach.
