Los Angeles County to issue permits for at-home food businesses

Los Angeles County is accepting applications from entrepreneurs who want to start “microenterprise home kitchen operations,” the Department of Public Health announced Monday.

Officials expected to begin issuing permits Nov. 1.

A microenterprise home kitchen operation is a food facility in which a business owner works from a kitchen located in a private residence. After receiving a business permit, a resident can store, handle, prepare and serve food to the public in compliance with state law, akin to a small restaurant.

“MEHKOs represent an important economic vehicle for entrepreneurial County residents — especially women, immigrants, and communities of color — to create new opportunities in the formal economy,” LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement. “The MEHKO program is a groundbreaking step towards allowing home-based kitchens to operate legally and safely, enabling countless individuals to turn their culinary passions into thriving businesses. By providing a pathway for microenterprise home kitchens to comply with health and safety regulations, we are not only nurturing local entrepreneurship but also enhancing the diversity and accessibility of food options available to our residents.”

Public Health’s Environmental Health Division will approve or deny permits, conduct annual inspections and investigate complaints, officials said. County inspectors are tasked with making sure MEHKOs comply with requirements and restrictions that an at-home kitchen operators must follow.

“Sidewalk vendors and home cooks are part of the cultural and culinary fabric of our neighborhoods – many times being a primary source of affordable and quality food for residents while providing an opportunity for families to earn a steady income,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell said in a statement. “Our Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations ordinance allows LA County to align with the state in creating a pathway for unregulated chefs to become permitted and builds on our efforts to provide guardrails that protect residents and brick and mortar businesses, while helping thousands of sidewalk vendors and home cooks benefit from our local economy.” 

Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement, “Entrepreneurship comes in all different shapes and sizes and we want our policies to work for everyone. By permitting MEHKOs, LA County can open doors for new micro business owners, celebrate diverse local chefs, and help families make ends meet.”

County officials provided this explanation of MEHKO rules: 

• no more than one full-time equivalent employee — with combined hours of all employees not to exceed 40 hours a week, not including family members or household members;
• MEHKO operators must include in permit applications a “Certified Food Protection Manager” certification after passing a food safety exam from an accredited organization;
• anyone involved in the home-kitchen business must obtain a “Food Handler Card Certificate” from an approved provider and submit it with the application or no more than 30 days after being hired; and
• Food must be prepared, cooked and served or delivered on the same day.

Restrictions include:

• a limit of 30 meals sold per day or 90 meals weekly, with a $100,000 annual revenue cap;
• reselling food to other food facilities is not allowed;
• no third-party delivery apps such as Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, DoorDash and others, with possible exceptions provided in the state’s Health & Safety Code;
• no alcohol or food that contains alcohol may be served without a license from the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control Program; and
• a catering business is not allowed.

“Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations play a fundamental role in advancing community health and driving economic empowerment. By supporting and nurturing small-scale food businesses, we create pathways for innovation and collaboration,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the LA County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “Through the growth of MEHKOs, we strive to empower food business owners with the skill and tools necessary to increase the knowledge of food safety practices when serving the public.”

Applications and more information are available on the program’s website, ph.lacounty.gov/mehko. Application documents are under the “Permitting” section.

More from Business