Hello, I've heard that it's legal to home chef at your client's home kitchen, but it may not be if your are preparing food at your own home kitchen and then transporting it to your client. Can anyone give me information or point me in the direction of finding what the rules (as far as the board of health, etc) are for cooking for clients from your own kitchen?
You pretty much summed it up! You can contact your local board of health (see state government section in your blue pages, or wherever your directory keeps them) or check for your state's website online.
If you tell us which state you're in, one of us may have already checked out the regs.
But generally speaking, accepting money for food cooked in your home and transported elsewhere is a big no-no.
------------------ Meredith Whisk For Hire Kensington, MD
The difference can be quite substantial! If you prepare food at home and transfer it that's considered CATERING! Both the insurance and the business registration, licenscing are VERY expensive! But if you prepare in you clients home it's safer for both of you.
One of the reasons that your business is considered a "Service" rather than a catering/cooking company is that you are providing these services for your clients: You are shopping for the food/ingredients necessary to prepare entrees for your clients, and preparing the entrees (with their food) in their own kitchens. Cooking in your own kitchen in not only a no-no with the Health Department, but the Zoning Commission won't allow commercial cooking in a residential kitchen either...they don't want people coming to your home to pick up food either...your home is NOT zoned commercial. They're really serious about this, so please don't get yourself into trouble by doing it. Hope this helps. Candy
