A newly created nonprofit organization here plans to transform the former Sushi Yama building, at 1321 W. Third, into an incubator kitchen for former refugees and other immigrants.

Feast Collective was launched by Dan Todd, owner of the Inland Curry weekly carryout restaurant, and Ross Carper, who owns The Compass Breakfast Wagon food truck and also works as service engagement coordinator at First Presbyterian Church of Spokane.

Carper says First Presbyterian, which is located across Cedar Street from the restaurant structure, bought the 1,700-square-foot building and the surrounding property for about $400,000 as a rental investment in May. It was then, Carper says, that he proposed making it into an incubator kitchen for immigrants.

“I said, ‘I know a lot of people who would love to have access to your commercial kitchen to do catering and different things,’” Carper says. “I’ve noticed in my relationships with folks from around the world that many of them are interested in cooking and sharing their culture through food. Sometimes, because I own a food truck, they ask me about starting food businesses and access to a commercial kitchen.”

The vision for the collective’s Feast World Kitchen restaurant is an eatery featuring a menu that will change nightly. Immigrant chefs will bring their own ingredients and will rent time in the kitchen for a small fee as they learn to start a catering or restaurant business.

Feast World Kitchen will launch in phases, Carper says, beginning with take-out service available a few nights a week through online or walk-up ordering. He says he hopes for take-out service to begin next month.

Before the restaurant can offer a dine-in option, however, Carper says the building will need to be remodeled, especially the dining area. Demolition of that space has already begun. 

“It’s a whole building renovation,” Carper says. “We’re lucky that the shell of the building is pretty good. First Presbyterian is putting a new roof on the building and making sure the HVAC is good. The kitchen is actually pretty well-equipped from the previous owner — that was negotiated as part of the sale.”

Bids for design and contracting work are being accepted currently, Carper says.

The work will be funded through donations, he says, including a $25,000 crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, which has so far raised just more than $9,000.

Feast Collective also is partnering with the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, Carper says.

“Every day, people come out of the woodwork to step up in support of this, whether it’s volunteers helping us do some of the menial but much-needed tasks in the restaurant itself, or whether it’s donors who are willing to partner with us and help make this a reality and a positive addition to Spokane,” Carper says.

About 1o people interested in cooking at the incubator kitchen are in conversation with Feast Collective, Carper says.

“We believe in these people having a place to live safely and to thrive and to be accepted by the community,” Carper says. “Food is a really fun and positive way to help folks become woven into the fabric of our community.”