LAKELAND, Fla. — To Kevin Aydelott, preparing the perfect brisket is a form of art.
From start to finish, it can take up to 15 hours.
Aydelott doesn’t take any shortcuts and makes all his rubs from scratch.
“A lot of times in the restaurant industry or restaurant world, there’s a lot of repetition, a lot of repetitive tasks all the time,” Aydelott said. “But when you’re researching and testing new recipes, that’s when you really get to be creative.”
Aydelott has been a chef for 15 years.
He’s spent most of his career working for other people, but realized during the pandemic he wanted to take a chance on himself.
“When I decided I was going to go out on my own and open a business, I went to my best friend and asked him what he thought and if he wanted to help out in any capacity whatsoever,” Aydelott said. “And he was on board.”
That’s when The Cultivated Pig was born. Aydelott and his best friend, Jimmy Fox, have been serving Texas-inspired barbecue – an homage to their home state – for the past year and a half.
The Cultivated Pig has been operating out of a food truck and relying on various pop-up events and markets for sales. Now, Aydelott and Fox are taking their business off wheels and into a proper kitchen, as the first participants in a new restaurant residency program through Catapult.
The nonprofit business incubator started the program to help food entrepreneurs in Lakeland learn the ins and outs of managing a restaurant. Program leaders explained there can be financial barriers to opening a new restaurant.
“It can be really hard to secure a loan if you’re just a new business starting out,” said Maggie Leach, Catapult’s kitchen director. “This opportunity allows them to gain that experience of running a business, gaining a sales record, building their business credit to then go out and pursue those opportunities as they arise.”
Businesses selected for the residency will operate out of Catapult’s kitchen for three to five months. Participants will also regularly meet with an advisory board of local business leaders to get advice on menu planning and operation strategy.
Leach believes small businesses are integral to the community’s fabric and hopes the program will help support the local economy.
“People want to live, work and play in this community where there are high-quality places to eat, to share those experiences over food,” she said. “We are delighted to come alongside our restaurant owners and our business owners as they create these concepts that really provide value to the entire Lakeland community.”
Being part of the restaurant residency program is a big step for Aydelott in reaching his ultimate goal — to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Lakeland. He said that will help provide a more consistent income.
“We’ll be able to take our financials to an investor or a bank and say, ‘Look, this is what we’ve done at the residency at Catapult,’” Aydelott explained. “We know how to run, we know how to manage staff, we know how to basically run a restaurant.”
As the first entrepreneurs selected for the program, Aydelott and Fox are also building the foundation for future participants. They want to encourage others to take a chance on themselves.
“Don’t be afraid of the unknown,” Aydelott said. “Yeah, there are a lot of variables that can come up. But, if you stay flexible and you have a really good outlook on everything and stay patient, then you can accomplish your goals.”
One step closer to their own goals, Aydelott and Fox look forward to one day soon opening The Cultivated Pig as a restaurant. They hope their customers taste the love and passion they pour into each recipe.
The Cultivated Pig is currently serving on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
You can find Aydelott and Fox at the pop-up window at Catapult, located at 502 E. Main St. in Lakeland. There are signs in the parking lot that direct you to the pop-up window.
Brian Rea
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