Indy’s Kitchen, a local incubator dedicated to helping launch food-related small businesses, announced on Wednesday that it graduated its first client.

Located at 2442 Central Ave., Indy’s Kitchen provides a fully equipped, commercially licensed pastry and catering kitchen for rent by the hour to aspiring entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses.

Avec Moi, a company that prepares meals to go from Indy’s Kitchen, is moving to a permanent home at 701 E. 62nd St. Owner Kris Parmelee credited the facility with providing the opportunity to test the market and build a customer base before branching out on her own.

“Indy’s Kitchen has given me the support I’ve needed to grow at the right pace,” she said in a prepared statement. “Its location in the thriving Fall Creek area has allowed me to connect to a community and build vital relationships with customers.”

Avec Moi will open in its new space on May 16.

About 30 small companies use Indy's Kitchen to teach cooking classes, hold private events and prepare a variety of food that is delivered for catered events or sold to customers in local shops. Space is available for rent 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Indy’s Kitchen also helps connect food entrepreneurs to potential suppliers, customers and community resources that can provide help with financing and insurance, business plan development, and food safety and labeling regulations.

In conjunction with the graduation of its first client, the city of Indianapolis awarded Indy’s Kitchen a $17,000 grant. It will be used to help clients create business and marketing plans, and provide a revolving loan fund for start-up and growth capital.

Founded in 2010, Indy’s Kitchen is owned by Linda Gilkerson, William Powell, Paul Pickett and Tom Abeel.