Not a restaurant. Not a cooking school.

Guests don't come to TLE to be served, and they don't come to meet strangers. They come with their people, such as a partner, friends, family, or a team, and make the meal together. Fresh pasta, a guided menu, wine poured, and a table they built themselves.

We call it made-together dining, and as a franchisee, you'd own it in your market.

A guest laughing as she stirs fresh pasta into a pan during a class

Why now

The more life moves onto screens, the more people will pay for an experience that can't be delivered. TLE is built for it: date nights, celebrations, gifts, and corporate teams that actually want to show up.

Why own a Local Epicurean?

Here's what sets us apart.

Experience-driven model

Our core business is immersive private cooking classes. Groups book the whole class and cook a multi-course meal together, for everything from date nights to celebrations.

Multi-channel revenue streams

  • Private cooking classes. The heart of the business, with hands-on menus built around handmade pasta.
  • Corporate team-building and off-sites. Companies bring their teams in for an experience people actually want to attend.
  • Private events. Celebrations, rehearsal dinners and gatherings built around the cooking table.
  • Fresh pasta production for resale. Handmade pasta made in-house and sold in the market.
  • A curated European-style market. Pasta, sauces, cheese, wine and pantry goods for guests to take home.
  • Wine, beer, and craft cocktail service. A full bar pouring throughout every class.
  • Gourmet take-and-bake items. Ready-to-cook dishes for the nights guests aren't in class.

Community-first philosophy

We help you become a beloved part of your neighborhood, not just another business on the block.

A group in red aprons stretching fresh pasta between them at The Local Epicurean in East Lansing
Fresh pasta drying on a rack as two guests look on

A playbook we run every day.

Every system we'd hand you runs every day at The Local Epicurean in East Lansing and Grand Rapids. That includes private classes, corporate team-building, private events, a retail market, and fresh pasta production. It's tested in our kitchens before it's in yours.

Personalized support from real operators.

We're not a faceless corporate team. We're in the trenches with you. You'll get direct guidance, hands-on coaching, and a franchise model shaped by people actually doing the work.

Site selection

We help you find and evaluate the right location.

Pre-opening training

Hands-on training for you and your team before you open.

SOPs

The same standard operating procedures we run in our own kitchens.

Marketing plan

A launch and local marketing plan built for your market.

The menu library

Our full set of class menus and recipes.

Operators with taste.

This isn't a passive investment. The best fit wants to be in the building.

  • You love hospitality.

    You notice the lighting, the music, the way a guest is greeted, and you know those details are the business.

  • You're ready to build.

    You have the drive and the financial foundation to open and grow a premium experience brand.

  • You want a real partner.

    You'd rather work closely with founders than be a number in a system.

The numbers

$25,000
Franchise fee
4%
Royalty on gross sales
Exclusive
Territory for every franchisee
$500K / $150K
Minimum net worth / liquid capital
Varies by market
Initial investment. Square footage, buildout and liquor licensing all move the number, so we walk every candidate through the full cost picture before any commitment.

Michigan first. Then the right cities.

We're developing new locations across Michigan and the Great Lakes, and we're talking with partners in markets where food culture runs deep, including Atlanta, Tampa/Sarasota, Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. If you see the opportunity in your city, tell us.

How it works

  1. Inquire

    Tell us about yourself and your market.

  2. Intro call

    A real conversation with our leadership team.

  3. Review the FDD

    We walk you through it, along with the full cost picture.

  4. Visit and take a class

    Come to East Lansing or Grand Rapids, cook with us, and see the business from the inside.

  5. Sign and build

    From site selection to opening night.

Start the conversation

Let’s see if it’s a fit.

Fill out the short form, and we’ll reach out personally to schedule an intro call.