Modern and boxy, with a silver exterior and sharp, clean edges, it’s hard to believe that Kitchen Korners in Mayfair used to be a run-of-the-mill Northeast Philadelphia garage. What’s inside is just as surprising: a state-of-the-art kitchen facility, where local entrepreneurs, caterers, food packagers and other like-minded culinary purveyors can create their products safely and cleanly.
An independently owned, shared-use, multipurpose food contractor business, Kitchen Korners is the brainchild of Alonzo Coates, a local businessman looking to transform the Philly culinary industry by helping fledgling food entrepreneurs launch their businesses.
“We know how difficult a process this can be and we want to offer people a better way to be successful,” he says.
Coates, a Roxborough High School graduate with an economics degree from Penn State, worked as a senior loan officer at a mortgage company before starting his own property business. He then invested in a commercial medical cleaning and dietary services franchise. Today, however, his focus is on Kitchen Korners.
“Here you can develop your culinary skills in a properly licensed, modern, professional kitchen. But you also learn how important it is to maintain great customer service,” he says. “The consulting services we provide teach you everything you need to know to be successful and profitable.”
Kitchen Korners’ clients range from Generation Z foodies who want to create fresh, healthy foods for themselves to both new and established businesses, including hot sauce manufacturer Taco Tuesdays, Delphine’s Dishes — known for their macaroni and seafood salads — and Coates’ own gourmet cookies, sold through Black Turtle Coffee. Coates plans to add African spice purveyor Dadia’s Blend in 2026.
The facility lets smaller places grow, thrive and cultivate.”
— Steve Horton, Fifth of a Farm Creations
Another Kitchen Korners client is Fifth of a Farm Creations, a jam and jelly business started by Steve and Jennifer Horton. The couple connected with Alonzo after seeing him on 6abc’s “FYI Philly” segment in winter 2024.
“When we met Alonzo, we felt an instant bond. He knows what he’s doing and he has created an amazing space,” says Steve Horton.
The couple tried other kitchens prior to finding Kitchen Korners, but none met their expectations. But by that summer, they were fully on board, and have been clients now for about a year and a half.
“The facility lets smaller places grow, thrive and cultivate,” says Steve Horton. He praises the design of the space, which includes ten burners, a double convection oven, a walk-in refrigerator and freezer. “It has allowed us to nurture and grow, and expand our product line,” he says. “And I really like how Alonzo is about helping others grow their dream. He is passionate but also pragmatic and efficient.”
Coates’ future plans include building on the culinary school, outfitting new space with a conference room, bathroom and food prep kitchen and developing his workforce program to foster financial literacy and entrepreneurship for kids. In October, he went to Florida where he trained in artisanal ice cream and gelato making.
For Coates, sharing his knowledge with his clients and giving them direction is one of the rewards of the business. “It’s all about information sharing — people don’t know what to do, they don’t know what the Department of Health needs and requires,” says Coates. “People’s dreams perish from the lack of knowledge and I want to do everything I can to help them.”
Kitchen Korners is at 2000 McKinley St. in Philadelphia. For more information about Kitchen Korners, call 215-667-5306 or visit kitchenkorners.com.
