Alison Mountford’s passion, not only for her work, but for Hope + Main’s mission and, most importantly, for its members, is infectious.. As Hope + Main’s Director of Marketing & Communications, she embraces people with big dreams and small business ideas, who come together with the goal of sharing their flavors, stories, and cultural heritage with the community.
As Rhode Island’s leading culinary incubator, Hope + Main, founded by Lisa Raiola opened in 2014 in Warren. Now, with their Downtown Makers Marketplace on Westminster Street and a new commercial kitchen soon to open on the West Side, Hope + Main has expanded into Providence. With locations in the city, they are providing even more opportunities for local food purveyors to have access to resources, equipment and community closer to home. Seeing members needs and finding ways to meet them is the cornerstone of what Hope + Main is about.
For Pablo of The Perfect Empanada, this means having the opportunity to share his lifelong love for empanadas with the people of Providence, and beyond. At the age of five, when he had his first empanada during a family visit to Argentina, Pablo was fascinated by what he tasted. Over the years he requested empanadas on every visit and just a few years later, he asked his aunt to show him how to make, stuff and fold them. He was hooked – finding the “perfect empanada,” became his quest. He says, “I knew that kind of food was with the direction I probably should be going in, you know, for an entrepreneurial sort of venture. That’s where my heart is, in the kitchen.”
Coming from a corporate background, he brings a strategic mindset to his business with a focus on innovation and customer experience. He credits Hope + Main with helping him find entry into the food business by providing support with licensing, operations, commercial kitchen space and a collaborative environment, where businesses learn from each other and share experiences. And now, he’s betting on empanadas becoming a citywide favorite through soon to be available delivery and catering.
For Ethiopian Eats founder Martha Tsegaye, who shares her cultural heritage and love of food through her cuisine at Providence Farmers Markets, Hope + Main has been a great learning opportunity from which she got valuable support, connections and resources, even problem-solving assistance.
Tradition is deeply rooted in her foods, but Martha also likes experimenting and has developed a delicious Jalapeño Brown Lentil Salad, which is a favorite among customers. She is a regular at Farm Fresh Markets, always providing samples and smiles. She values connections and customers, especially now as she’s testing packaging with a longer shelf-life so she can fulfill her dream to have her products in stores.
Food is central to her identity and she’s excited about sharing it with others: “When I was younger, I joined with my sister’s family restaurant, and through that process, I could see how food connected people. There is a satisfaction and happiness with that. In my tradition if someone came to our house, even if it was a surprise we would feed them or have a coffee ceremony. And they were satisfied and happy. That was our connection.”
Then there’s William of August Peak Sauces, who blends tradition with innovation in his savory, artisanal sauces which are now available in over 8 stores and Farmers Markets in Providence. Making sauces happened somewhat serendipitously: He was in the food business in New Jersey and farmers would give him their surplus of tomatoes at the end of summer – peak tomato time – thus the name, August Peak. He used the tomatoes for sauces that he shared with family and friends and the original recipe came from a friend’s grandmother who made him a fresh pomodoro sauce that he remembers fondly to this day. He’s refined the recipe over the years to create a sauce that has the taste and flavors of home-made and is healthy and fresh. Of his products’ success in the market, he said,” I’ve always thought it was the right time. Artisanal is really coming back around. It’s been around, but more so now, the way people are with their health… Even the farmers, the markets and the roadside markets, little stores, they were all gracious to take on my product. So, it just goes to show the community was really receptive to what I have in my product.”
William credits Hope + Main with providing commercial kitchen space, community and support in all areas to get his business started. William’s next plan is to offer condiments like steak sauce and Jamaican Jerk sauce – yum!
Finally, there’s Gassan Jaffal, a former skydiving instructor who brings a different kind of adventure to Providence through his handmade dark chocolate bars and chocolate butters. Having apprenticed in places like Fiji and Hawaii, Gassan is driven by integrity and a genuine desire to make people happy and chocolate does have a way of doing just that. “I have seven or eight different cocoa beans. I’d like to help people understand the difference, each one has very unique qualities and characteristics, they have very noticeable differences in flavor profiles”, says Jaffal. He is proud of sourcing organic beans that are ethically grown, too. He praises Hope and Main as an excellent resource that exceeded his expectations and for which he’s grateful. Jaffal Chocolates can currently be found in seven stores throughout Providence and Rhode Island. Next up, he’s planning to start Chocolate-Tasting classes. Sign me up!
In the Downtown Makers Marketplace these entrepreneurs are able to grow their businesses and connect with Providence’s food-loving community outside the farmers markets. Alison explains, “Going from a farmers market model to retail can be a huge jump, so we provide training and guidance along the way,” helping members understand inventory, SKUs, and branding.
With over 74 local artisans represented, the marketplace showcases everything from Caribe & Co’s Caribbean-inspired syrups to Navad’s challah and babka and so much more. The Marketplace is open to the public Mon – Sat.
But Hope + Main’s presence in Providence goes beyond business support; it fosters community. Through workshops, classes, and year-round Makers Markets, Hope + Main creates an environment where new businesses can flourish and inspire.
At the end of my visit, I was asked the same question Hope + Main poses to all their guests: “If you were going into a food business, what would you make?” “Basil -pesto!” I found myself answering, feeling inspired by all the food and stories behind it. And who knows? Perhaps there’s room for one more dream on their shelves.
Margaret Rizzuto is a photographer with over 15 years of capturing the beauty of food and people. As a Brooklyn-born Italian, her love of food runs deep. Margaret relocated to Providence in 2020 and quickly fell in love with the city—especially its vibrant food scene. When asked how she enjoys life in Providence, her response is always the same – “It’s so easy to be here!” which is a reflection of the city’s welcoming nature, its people, and the incredible foods. www.margaretrizzuto.com @aprovidencepalate
