LCCC’s Business Studio collaborates with food and hospitality leaders to strengthen local industry

For Petrina Peart, cooking is not only a creative outlet — it’s her love language. 

“I think it comes from a sense of nurturing. That’s how I express myself — not only creatively, but in how I nurture other people,” she said. “I’m not a go-buy-gifts kind of person or Christmas cards or anything like that. I’m gonna make your favorite dish if I know that’s what you need that day.”

Petrina brings that passion to her role as the executive chef at the Wyoming Governor’s Residence and through Gaiya’s Harvest, the private culinary business she founded, where she curates tailored fine-dining experiences.

Petrina sees Cheyenne’s food culture evolution and growth as more than a trend — to her, it’s a way to strengthen community ties and celebrate local talent at every step of the culinary process.

“Food connects our community, not just with the eating part, but going back to the growing part, like farmers, the gardeners and the ranchers,” she said. “You're connecting all these people when you do these events. When I cook as a chef, it's not just me shining. It's the beef, the lamb I got from Douglas, Wyoming. It's the Wyoming wheat flour that I get from Ralston — it’s these little things.”

Petrina’s contributions to the region’s food and hospitality scene are part of a broader movement. She’s one of many entrepreneurs finding support through the Business Studio @ Laramie County Community College, which is helping grow a network of innovators across Laramie County by elevating both emerging talent and seasoned professionals in the culinary and hospitality industries.

The Business Studio launched in January as a collaborative space where local entrepreneurs can access coaching, workshops and resources to help them grow and sustain successful businesses. Early participants include a mix of clients and advisory board members (Petrina is among the advisory board members) who bring unique experience to the studio’s mission of sparking economic opportunity in the region.

“Helping strengthen the food and hospitality sector creates more vibrant options for our communities and clearer pathways for local entrepreneurs to succeed,” said Lindsey Stutheit, director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at LCCC. “What we’re doing is creating a support system that amplifies what’s already working in Laramie County — talent, innovation, and the will to build something new.”

Bringing something to the table

One Business Studio client, Matthew Hurt, recently developed Find A Feast, a mobile app that maps food trucks and helps connect users with community-based food events and opportunities. Matthew said the program gave him new tools and perspectives as he works to bring the app to market.

“Resources like this are a blessing for entrepreneurs in our community,” he said. “Our community isn’t great about publicizing resources; you really have to dig to find what’s out there. This program helps uncover those resources, like grants, and connects you with people you didn’t even know were in your corner until now.”

Advisory council member Juan Coronado, owner of Railspur and former operator of the Los Conejos food truck, sees The Business Studio as a vital step toward a stronger regional ecosystem. He said the Studio offers a rare opportunity for food entrepreneurs to collaborate, share knowledge and move from concept to launch with purpose.

“This kind of support helps people thrive and bring something meaningful to the table,” Juan said.

A thriving scene of independently owned restaurants and hospitality businesses plays a vital role in shaping the region’s culture, said Chad Brown, co-founder and co-owner of Pine Bluffs Distilling and a Business Studio advisory board member. Though launching these ventures can be difficult, the character and charm they bring to a community are undeniable, and worth the effort, Chad said.

“Any community with a vibrant independent food industry seems to have a better ‘it’ factor,” he said. “I think it's always sad to see a big national chain have a two-hour wait, and the independent places struggle. I don't have a solution for this, but I hope we continue to get more people like Juan and Petrina.”  

Help is here for the ambitious 

With more food and hospitality businesses popping up around town, Petrina sees a ripple effect — one that permits others to take creative risks of their own.

“Every time a new business opens, it gives someone else the motivation and the courage to think that maybe their concept could work too,” she said.

That spirit of possibility is part of what drew her back to Cheyenne, where she was first stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in 2005.

“What we have now is not what we had then,” she said. “We had even less, if you can imagine that. But what I always tell people is, the good thing about Cheyenne is that if there’s something missing from this community, it’s your opportunity to bring it. Instead of sitting around saying, ‘There’s nothing to do here, there’s nothing to eat here,’ ask yourself: what other city or town gives you the opportunity to say, ‘This isn’t here — so I’m going to bring it here’?”

There are ways for these ambitious entrepreneurs to find support in Cheyenne that can help them succeed, Petrina said. The Business Studio, she said, has created space for entrepreneurs to learn from one another while pursuing bold goals.

“So far, The Business Studio has been a great organization to be a part of,” Peart said. “I’m excited to share what I’ve learned and also learn from others in the local food scene.”

The Business Studio continues to offer programming and guidance tailored to the needs of entrepreneurs in Laramie County. For more information, visit lccc.wy.edu/BusinessStudio or contact Lindsey Stutheit at LStutheit@lccc.wy.edu.

Author’s note: Petrina can be found competing on the NBC cooking competition show “Yes, Chef!,” airing this spring.