THANKS, I'LL GIVE MY BUSINESS LICENSE OFFICE A CALL TO SEE WHERE MY CITY STANDS. I'M IN MICHIGAN AND HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL BE AS RELAXED AS Euphoriabakery's OFFICE WAS.
Is there a site where anyone can go to find out all of this legal stuff, like what would be required tohave a business in your home or to have a business in your garage, or whatever????
I mean, I have found a link for my state (ky)...it's very similar to the link on the first page of this thread (For texas), but I can't really find anything on "specifics" of a cake decorating business and an "in home business"
Anyone???
TIA!!
A personal chef actually goes to the clients home and cooks in their kitchen. I really wouldn't want to start baking caking and decorating them in a clients home. Personally I am kinda messy when I decorate.
Euphoriabakery, I live in San Diego, California. Where did you find this info at? I bake out of my home and I'd rather stop than get a hefty fine. Thank you.
I went round and round with the different offices in my city. First talking to the buisness lisence office. They said they didn't think it was possible ans to call the health department. So I called the health department and they said its not allowed and sent me the info on food service laws. After reading over the rules I noticed that no where did it mention anything about selling food from your home to private individuals. Well I went about finding a kitchen to rent, which I did froma local caterer. then when my husband and I went into the health department to talk to them directly they basically told us that there are no laws on the subject in our county, because we are zoned county, not city. That as long as we have no store front where people can walk in and order our sales are considered private sales, kind of like a bake sale, and there were no regulations. It's kind of a loop hole, because no one has set up any home baking laws in our county, but I took it! We cancelled the rental of the caterers kitchen except for large orders i I need the room.
I would suggest going in and sitting down with someone at your local health departmen. Tell them what it is you wnat to do and ask how you can do it legally. The people on the phone don't know what they are tlking about, you really need to talk to the guys that enforce the codes. Every county/city is different so check in to your, you may be surprised that they are more relaxed than you think!
Yeah and here's a funny (NOT SO FUNNY) thing that makes me really mad. I grew up in a church where every Wed and Sun night after service they'd have 'afterglows' where some members would cook and sell dinner etc. That church was old, the kitchen was a sad excuse for a kitchen....and thinking back, I'm glad I was just a kid and didn't think of things as sanitary or unsanitary. I don't ever remember thinking it was spectacular or clean. And THAT kitchen would be legal to rent and bake and sell out of??? It really disgusts me. How is the economy going to grow and get better if getting a small business started is too hard and too expensive??!!
Still, I am disgusted and angry.
parismom, i agree, it is very disappointing, especially when shows like Oprah, and on the food network talk about people starting their own bakery businesses at home and then expanding into retail space, we all know they started off illegally too. we all have to start somewhere.
You know how true that is.....? I HATE watching those shows. Some family has been doing this for YEARS and YEARS working out of their crackerjack box kitchen, sometimes their UNFIT garage or shed...and they get away with it long enough to become profitable...and get aired on TV!!!!!
I AM SO MAD thinking about it. Can't do this, can't do that. For fear of multiple thousands of dollar fines for who knows what. But some people just do it anyway and succeed with flying colors. NOT FAIR.
I do live in Louisiana. No, I didn't report anything. I had just taken cake decorating class last summer. I had helped with friends weddings at our church. I enjoy food presentation. It was when I had made my second
wedding cake when I got the news. Everyone would tell me "you need to charge", and so I decided to charge and that's when things went south!
I returned the brides money and did the cakes for free. Her mother-in-law
now, went with me to get all the supplies. I did receive a gift which I appreciated.
We live in a small town and word gets around fast. When something like this happens you don't know who you can trust! In Louisiana you have to be approved for occupation license $50;take a food handling class for a 5yr. license or permit $100+, permit from health department $200.00;city tax;parish taxes, state ID. No grants for this business that I have found. $$$$$ We were not ready to go into business with two kids in college, you can put in a thimble what I know about a business of any kind. I'm learning real fast. We're getting bids now on the new kitchen.
Then we'll get a loan and get started! Debicakes
Update....DH spoke to the man at the Harris County Health Department. He said they would not get involved with things between family and friends, but any cakes done for "public" events (i.e. weddings, quincineras) would be illegal if done w/o a license and commercial kitchen). It didn't matter if you did it for free....it's illegal.
At least I have some solice in knowing that I could still do things for family and friends, but it does mean I can't participate in some other opportunities that I had coming up. Oh well!
Thanks for everyone's advice!
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