frequently asked questions

Free informational tours are held on Tuesdays at 5:00pm and Thursdays at 3:00pm. You can sign up for one online or just stop by our location at 1400 Dublin Rd. during scheduled tour times. We will show you all the features and equipment available, answer any questions you may have, and outline next steps in becoming a member.

The first step to becoming a member of 1400 Food Lab is to take a tour and learn how the space fits with your planned food business. Tours happen on Tuesdays at 5:00pm and Thursdays at 3:00pm. You can sign up for a tour online or stop by our location at 1400 Dublin Rd. during either time. Once you have seen the facility we can outline next steps for membership.

Pricing depends on the type of food business you want to operate and the selection of services and spaces you rent. Since every business is different, a tour is the first step toward identifying the unique costs of operating your business out of our shared space.

In general, a yearly membership fee of $150 is required and then businesses can choose from a variety of hourly and monthly kitchen offerings.

A complete fee structure is available on the tour and we will be happy to walk you through what to expect should you become a member.

The proper licensing for your food service operation depends on whether you will be a retail or wholesale business. While our Food Service Operating License will cover you for the majority of retail operations, we encourage you to reach out to the Ohio Department of Agriculture for next steps to register as a wholesale business.

We have 21 spaces, both utility and non-utility, in our Food Truck Base Camp. All of our spaces are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please contact us to ask about our current availability.

We offer a monthly membership for food carts that use 1400 Food Lab as their legal commissary without storing their cart in our facility. There are a few storage options available for carts to be parked in our secured lot.

Registered food cart members can have their health inspections held onsite.

We do offer short term contracts for dedicated production space and time in our shared kitchen, an option that has and is being utilized by ghost kitchen operators. Please contact us for more information and to check our current availability.

1400 Food Lab does not have event spaces for public rental. Members may use our shared kitchen and surrounding area for their own events but, unfortunately, we do not host events or rent the venue at this time.

1400 Food Lab does not offer cooking classes or events at this time.

1400 Food Lab is operated by Kitchen Management Group (KMG), which also runs several local bars and restaurants. KMG is owned by Scott Humphrys and Brad DeHays. Scott and Brad are both Columbus residents and have been very active in the community over the past few decades.

Brad J. DeHays is a developer and President of Connect Realty and Mid-Ohio Contracting Services, Inc. Connect Realty specializes in real estate development and portfolio management. Mid-Ohio Contracting Services, Inc. specializes in commercial renovation and the adaptive re-use of historic commercial buildings. Brad is behind the development of the Trolley District in Columbus' Olde Town East, including the new East Market. He also has active investments in the hospitality industry as the owner of a few local bar/restaurants, such as The Grandview Café and Hadley's.

Scott Humphrys is an entrepreneur and seasoned leader with a diverse background of military service, business start-up, and Fortune Top 50 experience. In 2005, Scott and his partners founded Mission Essential in Columbus. He and his partners were awarded Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year for emerging businesses in 2006. Scott was also involved in the renovation and reopening of The Grandview Café.