Smallman Galley Information

Smallman Galley, founded by two Naval Officers who recently completed their service in the United States Navy, will simultaneously house four test kitchens and bars for 18-months at a time. Applications for submissions from aspiring restaurateurs open April 1. PITTSBURGH, PA-Smallman Galley, a new restaurant incubator located in the Strip District, is seeking its first class of resident chefs and restaurateurs. The social venture, founded by Navy Lieutenants Ben Mantica and Tyler Benson, will select four restaurant ideas to simultaneously incubate in its four test-kitchens. The incubator is located in the 6,000 square foot Twin Plaza Building at 2016 Smallman Street. Interested chefs and restaurateurs can submit applications starting April 1 at smallmangalley.org. The founders and a team of professional advisors will select three chefs themselves, and the fourth will be selected through a crowdsourcing contest. "There is a significant group of talented chefs in Pittsburgh who are working towards the ultimate goal of one day being able to open their own restaurants," said co-founder Mantica. "The restaurant industry has so many barriers to entry, the most notable being the significant capital requirements. Smallman Galley will offer chefs a low cost, low risk opportunity to showcase their talent while developing the skills required to open and operate a business. The food scene is undeniably growing in the city and Smallman Galley will lead the charge of Pittsburgh's burgeoning foodie revolution." The selected chefs will receive more than just a venue for their restaurant idea. Smallman Galley and its team of experts will also provide its residents with five categories of professional restaurant development training: restaurant operations, marketing, business plan drafting, and financing. Topics of training will cycle on a weekly basis throughout the yearlong residency. "The support we provide to chefs is as integral to our concept as the space and the funding," said Benson, the other co-founder. "There's no ...