Brooklyn Braised is an innovative, full-service catering company founded by Executive Chef Christa Lynch. Christa’s entrepreneurial spirit has landed her on the Forbes Next 1000 list, which celebrates her drive to give back to the community. Christa founded Community Cookery and partners with shelters and organizations such as City Harvest to combat food insecurity. 

 

The Brooklyn Braised business idea came to light in 2017 when Christa met with Pace University SBDC Business Advisor Rawle Brown for assistance in launching her venture and understanding start-up financial and operational requirements. Rawle helped Christa create financial projections and finalize the business plan using the NYSBDC's Entreskills program, as well as secure pro bono legal assistance through the City Bar's Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project . Within months of opening, Brooklyn Braised began to grow and now consists of five employees working to provide a seamless catering experience to those at home, work, and even lavish events.

​

Like many small businesses, Brooklyn Braised has had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and find new ways to reach customers while keeping everybody safe. They’ve implemented numerous safety measures, like individually packaging meals and offering contact-free delivery. These new policies meant new costs, and the client has been in regular contact with the Pace SBDC to assess and apply for relevant small business financing options. As an example, after receiving private sector grant information from our center, Brooklyn Braised was recently awarded a $10,000 COVID-19 relief grant by the ​Local Initiatives Support Corp​.

​

The ​Pace SBD​C team​ is excited to share Brooklyn Braised’s success story and urges other small business owners to seek our guidance when looking to obtain new loans and grants through federal, state, city, and private fund resources. ​If you have questions about funding programs, business planning or marketing, make an appointment today for a no-cost advisory session by emailing ​sbdc@pace.edu​ or ​visiting our contact page​.