Hi, everyone! I want to start a business here in Texas where I will specialize in everything and anything chocolate. I don't want a retail shop at this time, but I do want to take orders online, from word-of-mouth and (possibly) from a catalog. I am selling my products right now but want to become "legal" so that I may advertise and really get things going. I'd like to rent kitchen space but don't know if that's allowed here or not. (I think it is.) Does anyone have any idea what it takes to get licensed in Texas? Thanks in advance!

It actually takes a lot to get licensed in Texas. Doing things from home are very strict. Renting kitchen space is an option to some but it will depend on where you can find space. I don't know what county you live in but the best thing is to contact your county health dept and ask them. Also keep in mind that doing things from home is also regulated by your city and sometimes home owners associations.
You can also search the forums for this topic, I remember reading some really good old posts about this.
Good luck!

Hi Mamafrogcakes..Love your cakes!
Where is your website.. I love browsing others website and yours is not there anymore... what happened?

I know I won't be doing anything from home once I'm licensed b/c I would need a kitchen that is completely separate from the rest of the living space. I'm almost positive I could rent the kitchen at my church without any trouble but I may try to find one closer to where I live.

Hi Chocomama! Welcome to CC.. What part of Texas are u at? Glad to have another Texan to CC.. Enjoy your visit and hope to see some of your products soon!! Good Luck

Thank you briansbaker!! I took it off b/c I was redesigning it forgot to add it back on!

Chocomama--Renting a kitchen is allowed in Texas and sometimes seems like the best option, even better if you can find one that is already certified or approved as you would need. From what I hear alot of problems come with "rent". Whether or not you can find something affordable.
Good luck to you!

I'm in Houston.

Ouch....well, start looking in places like you said, churches, etc. Somewhere where they aren't going to charge you too much in rent. Or maybe some place that you could trade off your goodies for reduced or no rent?!

HI everyone,
im also in Texas (rio grande valley) and have a question on sanitary standards. I like to try "visit" local bakeries here in town and get a "feel" for how they operate and what they have to offer. Well i went to one not to long ago and i swear it looked like a sweat shop! The walls were dingy and i swear i saw cobwebs and there was no a/c. The place was extremely hot and all they had was the windows opened. Is this legal? There werent any cakes out on display and all they had to look at were 4 huge photo albums with diffrent cut outs from diffrent magazines. Again, i ask, is this a normal business practice, or am i over reacting?
thanks!
bluelamp1

I live in austin, texas (travis county). I am also interested in opening a bakery (someday) but now I just bake for freinds and family....but Idon't charge them anything. I see it as pracitce for when I do start charging and it also gives me the opportunity to photograph my cakes.

I went to the state's health department's website and all I could find was that preparing food from a home based kitchen for public consumption was prohibited.......so i guess you can't even make a casserole for the church picnic??? People (the public) will be eating it, right?

What to do? I liked the suggestion of renting kitchen space from a church. Has anybody done that? How did you approach the church?My church really doesn't have a 'useable' kitchen except for one but it is used very day by the daycare.

I'm actually working up the nerve to talk to my minister this week about using our church's kitchen. I'm really hoping he won't charge me, esp. since I'd be using it so sporadically, at first. Once I get permission, I'm going to contact the health dept. and find out what else I need to do. That said, I think a lot of people bake out of their homes and sell, kwim? I understand all of the sanitary reasons why the State doesn't allow it, but, c'mon, if you make the rules so strict (as to not even allow the licensing and inspections of home kitchens) you have to know that people are going to try to get around the law.

if i do find a kitchen to rent.....how does that work. I mean, woud it be OK for me to advertise my business? And when the health department does their inspections and they found alot of violations with the kitchen that I am renting and shut down the kitchen, then I am out of luck, huh??

If you find a kitchen to rent, then you have to go through the process of getting your license at that location. And yes, if there is an inspection of the place and it fails then you would be affected as well. I can't imagine they would shut a place down unless there are serious offenses, and who would want to bake in a place like that anyway?!

I have actually started the process of becoming legal. The biggest problem is finding a kitchen to rent that is acceptable TO ME and not charges too much. I called our local health dept. and was told I had to take a food safety course. One was offered by a local collea 2 day course for $75.00. Fairly simple class--learned alot about meat and temperature, not too bakery-oriented but good info anyway.

Now, thanks to that class, when we go eat, I'm always looking for violations. LOL!!!

I do know that where ever you rent--you have to be able to store your ingredients there. You can't take them back and forth from home. No problem for me as I usually buy what I need when I have an order.

Good to know, Mac. I was just thinking about the whole storage issue yesterday and wondered how that worked. Thanks for the info and good luck!