Entrepreneurship: Trinidad Waffle Co.
From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue
James Fogerty biting into one of his waffle creations in his kitchen. His fusion waffles include dishes like spicy chicken, banana split and short rib.
The Cycle Effect
Alluvia Packraft
At Trinidad Waffle Co., waffles aren’t just for maple syrup—or breakfast.
“The waffle iron is a piece of technology with multiple planes—a grid that creates a lot of surface area compared to a flat surface, and the nooks and crannies create perfect pockets for caramelization to happen,” said James Fogerty, who opened his waffle shop two months ago in Trinidad.
James serves fusion-style waffles to go, including spicy chicken, banana split, and a smoked, local short rib on a twice-baked potato waffle. With an extensive background in fine dining—he worked under a two-Michelin star chef—he aims to create culinary masterpieces and revolutionize how waffles are enjoyed.
To help get his vision off the ground, he attended the Startup to Scaleup workshop when it came to town last year. Despite being a self-proclaimed “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person,” he gained some valuable takeaways to apply to his business.
And he seems to be on the right track: After just a few months, much of his business is being driven by repeat customers. He plans to expand the business to event catering and use the space as an incubator kitchen for supplying mobile, satellite waffle stands and off-site pop-ups.