Question - Cooking Out Of Home Vs. Commerical Kitchen
Decorating By smbanda Updated 20 Jan 2007 , 5:50pm by smbanda
Ok, so I have a question, how many people bake out of their home kitchen (and make money doing it) and how many people rent a commerical kitchen (but don't have their own business outside the home)? Does that make sense?
What I am getting out is are you able to bake your cakes out of your own house and make money doing it?
I guess I want to know more about people who have are using a commercial kitchen that belongs to someone else to bake your cakes. I would love any information or advice you might have about how you found the kitchen, how you looked for a kitchen, where to start, anything you can tell me. Any advice at all.....
Here is my situation..... I started cake decorating about 2 years ago. The first year was strictly classes and learning and the past year has been more about getting my website together and generating some business. I am still learning of course.
The problem is that I feel like I cannot start advertising in my area until I find a commercial kitchen. I live in a small community between Dallas and Ft Worth. My City Manager lives on my street and I have two city council members living in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, I have some nosey neighbors that would be more than happy to report me for selling cakes out of my home.
So I am wondering, is this the correct way to go, to look for a commercial kitchen? I am thinking that would allow me to start doing more advertising. I just don't see anyway I can increase my client base and cook out of my kitchen without getting in trouble.
Thanks for any advice!!!
Susan
www.SweetFinaleDFW.com
Susan, I would contact your local Health Department and see what you would have to do to get 'legal.' You may not be legal even if you are using a commercial kitchen, and you may be able to work out of your home. Different states have different guidelines.
I live in Texas and I rent a commercial kitchen. I found the one I use by advertising on craigslist. Another thing you can do to find a kitchen to rent is to go to small "mom and pop" type restaurants or bakeries and ask to either rent or barter for use of their licensed kitchen.
In Texas it is illegal to sell food made in your home kitchen. You must rent a licensed kitchen or build a seperate kitchen not connected to your home.
I pay $10/hr to rent my kitchen. Yes, it makes it very hard to turn a profit on cakes ( I'm a slow decorator 
). I have a $40 minimum order.
If you have any other questions, please ask!
Being from Scotland, I don't think my advice would be of any use to you but I personally work from home to bake and I decorate in my own separate studio and workshop. I originally spoke to the Health and Safety Department who set me straight and come to check on me each year so all's good. Anyway, I just wanted to say too that I love your website. Your cakes are fabulous so whichever way you go, home baking or not, you can certainly decorate a cake! 
Thank you so much for the compliments on my website!! Now if I could just make a little bit of money. I'd be happy just to make back the money I've invested!!
Kelleym, thanks for the idea of craigslist. Never thought of that. I have heard of it, but have never checked it out. I will take a look.
I am really new to the world of cake decorating, but I have spent the last two weeks gleaning as much info as I can. Just in case if in the future I want to think of doing it as a business. What I have found is that "most" states don't allow regular home kitchens to be licensed. A home kitchen that can be licensed is a kitchen that is COMPLETELY separate from the home. I think a guest house turned into a kitchen would be about as perfect as it could get. Now, finding a kitchen to use seems to be such a grey area! I have read that some people rent church kitchens, or there are community kitchens to rent. It seems anything to do with the food industry is extremely difficult to get going for obvious reasons. There are some great threads in the Cake Decorating Business forum that cover these areas pretty well. I think if I ever decide to do this as anything but a hobby I will just write my local health department. Trying to decipher the "code" is next to impossible. If you are serious about it, I suggest that to you 
Again, I'm an amateur, but I wanted to share the information in one space that I had learned from this wonderful site.
Oh, I have spent many of days trying to figure this out and I have talked to the health dept. Oh, and i live in Saginaw probably 15 minutes away from you! But she said that every town is different. It is VERY freakin confusing! She said that Saginaw might have their own rules but if I am going to be delivering the cakes in Fort Worth city limits I would need a sticker on my car from them. Texas though you can't have a home bakery. I have to say though that the health people here don't really care too much I think they have more to worry about than the cake ladies. I say that the only thing you "MIGHT" have to worry about is yoru website. Its beautiful but your not legal and you are advertising that you actually sell them. "Serving the metroplex" If its a wesite that just "shows" your cakes then no problem. I would talk to someone about that. One more thing......I need to work for you! heheheh! You would teach me a lot! Your cakes are gorgeous! Oh and Church kitchens are a no go and the community centers are expensive! I haven't called any little cafe's yet but when I get to that point in my cake experience I will start trying. If you find out anything different please let me know. But first call the city of Roanoke because it might be different!
Hi, Katy!!! Thanks for the information!! I am going to call the city on Monday and see what I can find out. That is the hardest part for me - talking to people. I just want to make cakes. 
I am trying to get my hubby to be my business manager. LOL! Unfortunately the pay really sucks!!! 
I agree with what you are saying about my website and I am going to change the 'serving the metroplex'.
Thanks for the compliments on my cakes. Everything I know I learned at the Cake Carousel in Richardson. Its quite a drive but worth it. They have great insructors. If you google their website you can find their class schedule online. My next class is an airbrush class. We could always carpool if you ever wanted to take anything there. I get some of my supplies there (if I can't find it at Merchants). It is so hard to find supplies around here. I'm not very impressed with Elizabeth's Cake Supplies, espeically their hours.
Susan
www.SweetFinaleDFW.com
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