Oak Creek Cooks Invited to Enter Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge

MATC and Reliable Water Services Seek Next Great Food Business

Milwaukee, March 15, 2012– Attention Oak Creek cooks: If you have dreams of turning an amazing recipe into a successful business then you will want to enter the Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge, a regional contest to find the next great food entrepreneur. The Challenge is presented by Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and by Reliable Water Services, a local provider of commercial water heaters, boilers and water softeners.
Aspiring chefs and home cooks throughout Wisconsin are invited to enter at www.hotwater247.com by submitting a short application and a photo of their recipe or product concept. The site has contest rules and details.

This Challenge coincides with the launch of MATC’s Entrepreneurship Center, a new technical diploma program which helps aspiring entrepreneurs with comprehensive resources and training to take their business concept from dream to reality.

“We know there are passionate cooks who have the beginnings of a food business idea and others who may have taken the first steps but could use some encouragement and advice,” said, Armen Hadjinian, MATC entrepreneurship program coordinator.

The grand prize winner will receive $2,500 in seed money from Reliable to start their business, a comprehensive entrepreneurial consultation package from MATC and a gift certificate for professional cookware The Boelter Companies. Finalists will be selected in mid-June to participate in a final judging event at Cuisine, the student-operated restaurant for MATC’s culinary arts program in late summer.

Judges for the contest include:

•Andrea Marquez-Paquin and Andrew Paquin, owners of La Luna, an Oak Creek company providing fresh, authentic Mexican food products sold in select grocers’ freezers.
•Justin Aprahamian, Chef de Cuisine for Sanford Restaurant and semi-finalist for the James Beard Award, Rising Star Chef
•Lynn Sbonik, co-owner of Beans & Barley Deli, Market & Full Service Café
•George Flees, general manager of Parkside 23 restaurant in Brookfield featuring American food featuring fresh, local ingredients.

“We are so excited to help a local entrepreneur who has an innovative food business idea but needs resources to get started,” said Lynne Robinson, President of Reliable Water Services. “It’s very gratifying to know we can help kick-start someone’s culinary dream.”

Milwaukee Area Technical College
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and the most diverse two-year institution in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Approximately 50,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community.

About Reliable Water Services
Reliable Water Services provides water heaters, boilers and water softeners to apartment building owners, restaurants and commercial enterprises where a steady supply of hot water is essential to business operations. The company currently has 3,500 customers in the Midwest and offices in Milwaukee and Indianapolis. More information is available at http://www.HotWater247.com.