Culinary businesses looking to enter the Wake Forest market have recently been served a slice of opportunity pie.
Flavor District, a virtual food hall and ghost kitchen, has opened its doors in the former Golden Corral location off Capital Boulevard. Ghost kitchens allow patrons the ability to order from one or multiple restaurants online and either pick up their food or have it delivered in one order.
Owner David Foye, a military veteran who owns other businesses hosting mobile food units, says this business model goes hand-in-hand with the evolution of cell phones and third-party delivery services such as Doordash and Grubhub. His idea for Flavor District was piqued during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. “During COVID’s peak, small food businesses were challenged to get their great food to customers,” says Foye. “Many asked if they could use my existing facilities for delivery and takeout. This sparked the idea for Flavor District.” While researching a delivery and takeout-only facility, Foye realized ghost kitchens were an emerging trend in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
“A family does not need to argue about what’s for dinner anymore,” says Foye. “If Jenny wants empanadas, Doug wants pizza, and Carol wants Thai, all three can order from restaurants specializing in these areas. Food items are placed in one cart and packaged for takeout or delivery as one order.”
This unique business concept is not only beneficial to patrons. It also provides opportunities for culinary start-ups and small businesses. “The majority of vendors operating from Flavor District are small caterers and food trucks that are looking to establish an additional stream of income for their food business,” says Foye. “The ghost kitchens can be up and running in one month’s time, without the hassle or complete responsibility of managing a full restaurant.” Through this business model, Flavor District serves as an incubator for many start-up culinary businesses in the Triangle. It is also proving to be a strong option for established food businesses that want to have a footprint in the Wake Forest area.
Foye connected with Jason Cannon, President of the Wake Forest Business and Industry Partnership (WFBIP), to assess the former Golden Corral property. “The property presented a lot of advantages, from parking to existing refrigeration to the set-up of cooking appliances,” says Foye. “I had the opportunity to speak with Jason, and he shared the growth and demographics within Wake Forest. Flavor District seemed to be a perfect fit for the growth and development of the community.”
“David’s vision for Flavor District provides more dining options to residents and more opportunities for economic growth and development in Wake Forest,” says Cannon. “I’m excited to see continued expansion for our burgeoning network of culinary start-ups as well as the opportunity for established restaurants in the Triangle to expand their footprint in Wake Forest. ”
Since Flavor District’s ribbon cutting in mid-January of 2023, Foye says business has been booming. “We appreciate how the area has embraced us. We would love for more people to come and enjoy the diverse menus of our local vendors.”
Foye highlights successful stories of a few tenants:
Gaia’s Kitchen is composed of a mother-and-daughter team that provides all plant-based dishes. Voted Raleigh’s Best Vegan concept in 2022, they are excited about providing vegan options to Wake Forest.
Michael Longo’s family owns Vic’s Pizza — one of the oldest Italian American restaurants in downtown Raleigh. Seeking to expand into the Wake Forest market, Longoset up an offshoot of the family restaurant, serving pizza, calzones, and stromboli at Flavor District.
Patrick and Patricia Euwing manage Jerkman Island Cuisine, a successful food truck in Raleigh, and are now bringing their Jamaican/Southern dishes to Wake Forest.
Although Foye envisioned Flavor District as primarily delivery, he’s seen quite the success in takeout. Thus, he’s excited to open up an outdoor dining area this Spring. “Once the new ordinance for Food Trucks is passed, we would like to have a few on-site each weekend while the weather is appropriate,” says Foye. “We have a lot of opportunities to bring great food to the Wake Forest community.”
Businesses currently operating at Flavor District include:
Ghost Kitchens
Jerkman Island Cuisine - Jamaican
Taburete Venezuelan Flavors - Venezuelan
Oink n Moo - BBQ
Cooking Mama - Southern
Gaia’s Kitchen - Vegan
Curry in a Hurry - Indian
Vic’s Pizza - Pizza
Thaiphoon Bistro - Thai
Raleigh Tamales - Mexican
Favor Cakes & Creamery - Desserts
Freshberry Smallcakes - Desserts
Food Manufacturers, Caterers, and Food Trucks
Wake the Truck Up
Tepuy’s Pastelitos
Potatoland
Cakes by Michelle
A Cheesecake Lover
Femme Fromage
Fat Tuesdays
Alley Cats
Sistaz Soul Rollz
