I am disappointed, and a bit p'ode that I spent a lot of money to find that out. I think they misled a lot of folks.... hey look at the bright side ... I can now make peach preserves to sell at the farmers market......... ROFL
Heyyyyyyyyy CakesByLJ!! I believe I was sitting behind you. LOL From Cordova/Memphis. I was soooooooooooo disgusted and upset!! I was so hurt, I cried. It was misleading, dirty and underhanded. When we stated what we would be doing, they should've told us then. I still can't understand why this would be considered catering when we aren't in the catering biz...it's a home bakery!! And no...they weren't apologetic at all!! Didn't even flinch to apologize. I got up at 3am to drive there (in my rental which needed gas) for an expensive cold-cut tray lunch. Had I known that, I would've grabbed a few more of those chocolate chip cookies, scarfed down a whole bag of chips and left with a soda! I aced the test with 100 but I guess that only means I get to open my new fried pie biz or some pear preserves or something. I just really want to quit now. He told my neighbor (sitting next to me) that Shelby County is especially strict.
Oh yeah, there was another lady in there that they told needed the course but she has a commercial kitchen so she was a tid bit p-turbed but not that much. I did learn alot in the class though...I'll give them that one. Reading through the books they gave us....1 of the books does classify home bakery as catering. Shouldn't THAT be on the site???
I'm venting a little....been down a bit and about to take the rest of the year off. I didn't want to bite down and break off $1500 for a place, if I didn't have to. I'm in the middle, I need more space, could increase productivity but I don't need major space right now and have to account for the off days until I can expand to things that'll make money during the week. I do weddings...but I just really started. blah, blah, blah..... I just want to quit!!!
Heyyyyyyyyy CakesByLJ!! I believe I was sitting behind you. LOL From Cordova/Memphis. I was soooooooooooo disgusted and upset!! I was so hurt, I cried. It was misleading, dirty and underhanded. When we stated what we would be doing, they should've told us then.
Hey there... glad you had a safe trip home.. and I DO feel your pain~~ I agree.. the first thing in the morning we all stated exactly what we were planning to do, and there were several of us who were going to do cakes, cookie bouquets, pies, candy, etc... through custom orders only... why, oh why didn't they tell us then?? I am still in shock. I plan to send an email and express my feelings to everyone I spoke with, and I kept all my notes, so I have all the email addys.
I am still shaking my head in disbelief~~!
ok so I got a call back this morning from the guy in rutherford county about this issue. I was out running so I missed teh call but he left a message.
Basically he said that you CAN do it out of your home .... BUT there are stricter rules ... you must have a 3 compartment sink, you must have automatic closers on the from and back door of the house, you have to have a separate hand washign sink, you must be able to close the kitchen off from the rest of the house when you are preparing food ... I think they may have been more he just said to call with any other questions I am about to call back now and see if I can get ahold of him.
I am flyingunder the radar right now because I cannot aford what they are saying needs to be done ... I eventually would like to get licensed though.
That is what I am doing. I'm not going to be doing a tremendous number of cakes, so I am just going to keep going and if I get caught I will deal with it then. I have read somewhere that they just have a few inspectors and are so far behind in doing inspections that they don't have time to go after other people.
I will just have to deal with the consequences if the time arises.
yeah I don't do namy cakes as it is anyway and they are all for family, friends or friends of friends so it really isn't a big deal.
That's great! Unfortunately, I'm in Shelby county and I work every weekend and sometimes during the week...BUT rent is soooooo high and it takes soooo much to get up and running. I'm still looking though. I may have to set up in another part of town where the rent is cheaper and just have a kitchen. It would be ideal to work from home though with me having smaller children and one being Special needs. But I guess I have to do what I have to do if cakes is what I want to do. I'll be flying until then as well. Congrats to everyone that can continue the dream from home. 
I can not believe this. I feel so bad for those who had to drive so far just to end up with so much disappointment. I too will just be doing my thing until I get caught or there is some clarifications as to whose and what regulations we have to follow.
Hope everyone has a great labor day weekend.
That's great! Unfortunately, I'm in Shelby county and I work every weekend and sometimes during the week...BUT rent is soooooo high and it takes soooo much to get up and running. I'm still looking though. I may have to set up in another part of town where the rent is cheaper and just have a kitchen. It would be ideal to work from home though with me having smaller children and one being Special needs. But I guess I have to do what I have to do if cakes is what I want to do. I'll be flying until then as well. Congrats to everyone that can continue the dream from home.
I wish you the best, and perhaps something good may come of this yet.. Don't give up~! I may have an opportunity to share a commercial kitchen, and I am going to persue that for now. I, too, don't do very many cakes, but it just makes me more comfortable knowing that I am legal...
Thank you soooo much. I would feel much comfortable too. Going to keep looking into other options. I wish you the best as well!!!
sorry to all that went. but i stopped looking in to it as soon as i read no pets but this sound just like the gov to lead you on like this but if i get cought they can bight me and go after a real criminal. all i have is a short hair wiener dog
it is not like a cat that get on the counters and that hair ever were and what about fish . but they need to write the rules out better the older i get the more i see how corrupt the system is i just tell people i need cash
ok I have another update. the guy called me back again and I spoke with him, this is in rutherford county ... I swear the rules around her are so messed up!
OK, you DO NOT need to take any sort of food safety course (which is weird since you do for the domestic kitchen), you would be considered a caterer so you need to go by their guidelines. There are things i DO and DO NOT like about the regulations (this is for Rutherford county remember, I think every county may be different?) along with what I said before abotu theclosures and separate fridge and such you do not have to have the kitchen completely enclosed from the rest of the house but you do have to have a gate or door or somethign to keep traffic from flowing freely into the space. here is the part I LOVE about this law ... you DO NOT have to get rid of pets! they allow dogs in teh home as long as they are kept out of the kitchen space, which I love, and which is also weird that if you are a caterer you can keep pets but domestic kitchen they are not allowed they need to get things all unison on this.
Ok next, you HAVE TO have a 3 compartment sink and a COMMERCIAL dish washer, no lowes dishwasher and a separate hand washing sink/station. So there is more cost that is involved in altering the kitchen for catering use, but to us pet owners it is worth the extra cost to know you can keep your pets (but I also know that this dream is now set back because of the costs). You also need to have a sketch of your kitchen layout for approval. The guy is printing off acopy of the rules/regulations for me and I am going to drop by the health department to pick them up later.
i am so glad to here about the pet thing but i know i would more than likely not be able to do this because the money and space but good luck to those who try to
if you are a caterer you can keep pets but domestic kitchen they are not allowed they need to get things all unison on this.
Ok next, you HAVE TO have a 3 compartment sink and a COMMERCIAL dish washer, no lowes dishwasher and a separate hand washing sink/station. So there is more cost that is involved in altering the kitchen for catering use, but to us pet owners it is worth the extra cost to know you can keep your pets (but I also know that this dream is now set back because of the costs). You also need to have a sketch of your kitchen layout for approval. The guy is printing off acopy of the rules/regulations for me and I am going to drop by the health department to pick them up later.
The rules are almost the same here, but..... and it's a big one, haha.... it has to be a separate facility, closed off from the residence. And, no pets, of course. It is also a $210 license fee/annually. I don't ever plan to be selling that many cakes, so it isn't an option for me. I am retired and want to keep it that way, haha. But I do want to do cakes on occasion. Well, sharing a commercial kitchen seems to be the best choice for me.
that is so weird to me that for domestic kitchen tehre are no pets bot for catering by county regulations you can't have pets and I can .... it sounds to me like there is reallynot awhole lot of reasonign behindtheir regulations.
that is so weird to me that for domestic kitchen tehre are no pets bot for catering by county regulations you can't have pets and I can .... it sounds to me like there is reallynot awhole lot of reasonign behindtheir regulations.
That is the truth, if I've ever heard it~! Hey, we talked about us all getting together sometime.. I'm still game, if everyone else is.... Is anyone else a member of ICES? I'm going to the ICES DOS in Lebanon, on October 14. Anyone else going?
I am so glad I found this post. If anyone knows anything about the rules in Marshall co, I would love to know them. What defines "advertising"? Is printing something off the computer and hanging it up at chuch advertising? Until then I will keep flying low and staying under the radar. I don't do many cakes but I have a feeling w/ word of mouth that things might pick up.
I am not a member of ICES but I may haveto look into it I will let you know about the thing in Lebanon.
Rendee just call your local health department and they can tell you the regulations for your county.
Here is a link to an article about the class in Lebanon. That sounds like it would be fun to go to. My dd lives there I may have to go and spend the night at her house that week. She has a big house We can all go and invade her house!!!!LOL
http://www.ices.org/events/events.htm
ooo I would love that lol I have been doing a lot with chocolate lately, is it supposed to be free withy our icesmembership? or how much is it? there is no fee listed? I am about 30 min from lebanon and know a few people up that way too so it won't be a big deal to get there.
Amanda, do you have to join this? and how much is it? I would love to do this..
ooo I would love that lol I have been doing a lot with chocolate lately, is it supposed to be free withy our icesmembership? or how much is it? there is no fee listed? I am about 30 min from lebanon and know a few people up that way too so it won't be a big deal to get there.
The ICES membership is $60 annually; the Fall DOS is free this year for ICES members, you just have to pay the $10 lunch fee and that is for Sunday. There are demos all day. You can attend if you are not a member, and the lunch cost is $15.00 ~ it is a great deal~! The classes on Monday and Tuesday are $100 each for the respective instructors, B. Keith Ryder, and Laurel' Silverberg. I have the flyer if you interested I can email it to you individually. (not good at uploading attachments here, haha) laura
Hey Everyone!
Figured I would join the post since I feel all of your pain! I have been pulling my hair out trying to get everything done without having to pay out an arm and a leg. Here is the honest truth.... THE HEALTH DEPT DOESN'T CARE! Seriously, I have been on the phone with Davidson county at least one a week for the past 6 months since I decided to do this, they know I am in business, I advertise (heavily), and yet I have no license(and to be completely honest, I am still a couple of months away from being able to be inspected). Does this stop me? Hell no! I don't have time to deal with the red tape.... and trust me..... there are MILES of it! Luckily I have a very good friend who is a caterer and let's me use her kitchen from time to time and has agreed to cover me under her HC if something happens and I am "discovered"... so my 26 yr old bravado will come out in this post, because they make this as difficult as humanly possible, so please excuse the random tangents and/or angry rants.
Here is what I know from nashville (davidson) and brentwood (davidson and williamson):
1.) If you are in Williamson County brentwood, the city prevents you from having an in home bakery, but the county allows is, so sometimes you can sneek past....generally, all the davidson county rules apply.
2.) Davidson County (nashville, brentwood, etc) requires you to have a 3 basin sink that all washable items can be submerdged in (try finding that with a 20 qt mixer!) OR a dishwasher (lucky for me I got a hell of a deal on ebay for a HUGE 3 basin sink... all it took was a road trip to ATL). Sinks must have a tap or overhead sprayer that reaches all three sinks. You must have a separate hand washing sink AND a mop sink. All doors must be self closing, and the facility must have a separate entrance apart from the house. Walls and floors must be easily cleanable (aka no flat paint). Refridgeration/cooling devices must have an exterior thermometer. All surfaces must be easily wiped down and all trash cans must be covered. No pets allowed in the bakery. Gas ovens must be properly vented. You also have to have a grease trap connected to all plumping. Everything has to be labeled.... blah blah blah.
3.) You must submit a floor plan for approval before you start building, and then you have 30 days to complete work and schedule your inspection (yeah... they will never get to a home person in those 30 days.... more like 60). The honest truth is, they really don't know what to do with home based catering operations, so they will ignore you and lead you on wild goose chases until you give up (they are however extremely friendly... which does help when you want to climb the bell tower and kill people).
The advice I was given by other caterers was to get liability insurance (and lots of it) register your business with the state and federal goverment, register for sales tax (and pay it quarterly), get tax id numbers, get your blanket certificate of resale, open a business account as a DBA (i use suntrust... other banks may hasel you wanting a business license) and start working. The only thing you cannot get without a HC is a business license, but unless you bank is a stickler or you want to join TWESA you don't really "need" it. Usually the health dept has bigger fish to fry than an at home cake decorator. AND you have 30 days to become compliant and schedule an inspection if they do catch you before you will be fined (this from my caterer friend who lets me use her kitchen and worked as a caterer for 5 years without a HC... and never got one until she moved into a commercial space and had to).
Now I also know, all this may come back to bite me in the a** and I might get fined for not being "legal"( i am actually expecting it after the live competition I am doing at the fair on the 9th).... but I have all my sinks, my oven is to codes, as are my floors, walls, doors, etc (the only thing i lack it cool commercial fridgeand freezer... but the scratch and dent kenmore will work for now). there are dozens of "illegal" home bakeries in middle TN that have been operating for years with out fault ( the only truly legal one I know of is Sweetest Day), so I am willing to run the risk until i get all my s*** together.... come what may....
We should all totally get together for lunch sometime! I would love to meet some fellow CCers and talk shop! Tell me when and where and I will be there (unless I have cake and or wedding disaster... I can't wait until my own wedding is over!) If anyone has any questions or has other info that i don't post it.... cause god knows you never stop learning!
Kaysie
ps.... sorry for the atrocious spelling... it's late and I can never get spell check to work on these things! [/u]
Hey Everyone!
I might get fined for not being "legal"( i am actually expecting it after the live competition I am doing at the fair on the 9th)....
We should all totally get together for lunch sometime! I would love to meet some fellow CCers and talk shop! Tell me when and where and I will be there (unless I have cake and or wedding disaster... I can't wait until my own wedding is over!) If anyone has any questions or has other info that i don't post it.... cause god knows you never stop learning!
Kaysie
Kaysie, your work is impecable~! I truly admire every cake you've done. I would love to get together as a group, anytime, anywhere. I am so excited you are doing the competition at the fair; I have been looking forward to seeing it. What a great idea to honor the 101st too, I will be early for a good seat...
I believe you are absolutely right about the bureaucracy involved with getting a license. You get a different story from everyone you speak with at the different agencies, and I think it is an attempt to discourage us all until we give up. I don't plan to persue this full time, so it isn't worth the hassle for me, but I do still want to be legal, so using another commercial kitchen seems to be the easiest option for me. laura
Kaysie,
thanks for taking the time to write all that! I thought for sure you were legal, your work is amazing, it makes me feel better knowing that people are advertisig like that and have not been caught because that was one of my biggest concerns. my house is tiny and we want to move so it makes no sense to make this space legal whereI am at now but i need the extra money that the cakes bring in.
anyway I would love to meet up, I know a few other ladies doing cakes in the middle tennessee area as well.
I thought about attending in Lebanon...hadn't decided yet.
Talking about advertising heavily....that's me! However it can be advertised...I've got it or just about done it. I have creeped a few customers from bigger names and just really wanted to prevent any hassles. Great thing for you guys up there...trying to still get around the NO'S here. Nice speaking with you all from around that way...I'm just the lonely old fish down here. LOL
Hi ladies. I couldn't sleep so I decided to look at what my husband calls my "cake porn". I just happened to come across this post.
Kaysie, you drove me past me at the Home Depot on Moore's Lane the other day. I was turning out of the parking lot and saw your sign as you drove by. How funny that I happened across your post on this site.
I am in Wiliamson County and would love to get together with everyone sometime. I am new to cake decorating. I took the Wilton classes last fall and then had a really busy spring and summer so I am just getting back into it. I would love to learn from all of you.
Jessica
I thought about attending in Lebanon...hadn't decided yet.
I hope you do decide to go to Lebanon.. it would be great to see you again, and not be taking a test.. hahaha Do you have any cake clubs in your area? laura
Yep, we got one. That's actually how I found out about Lebanon. The lady that emails me is really great. Soooooo nice!
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