Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Central California
Birthday: Dec 15
Posted:
Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:53 pm
I've been wanting to decorate cakes for years, but put it on hold for various reasons, mostly to have babies . This year, I started the Wilton classes and just like I expected, I LOVE it! I'm definitely not ready to take money for cakes, but I'm learning quickly and I would like to head in the direction of becoming legal. I just moved to CA and I know that here, we have to use commercial kitchens, but what else do I need to do? I am HORRIBLE at research . I know I need to get some kind of food handlers license, but I don't even know how to do that. What steps do I need to go through to be legal?
Thanks!
Becca
miny Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 27, 2005
Posts: 310
Location: California
Posted:
Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:09 pm
There is a sticky right here in the forums about states that let you have home bakeries I remember reading something about Ca. Look for it on search, but the little I remember is that IT'S A NIGHTMARE for californians to legalize a cake bussines
auntginn Forum Addict
Joined: May 31, 2007
Posts: 550
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Birthday: May 04 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:26 pm
In CA its stiff but those of us who are determined to make it, you bear thru it.
First you need to find a location and one that will pass inspection. You will need to apply to the health deparment, they will tell you where the classes are for food handlers, how to get certified and do the inspection for the health dept. rating. (the letter you see in the window of any establishment that sells food) by the way, even the cake suppliers have to have this rating.
You will need to file a dba or doing business as thru the hall of records, you will need a resale permit and you get that from the dept. of equalization. Don't forget insurance, contact any insurance agent and they can help you with the types of insurance required for the business.
I would also retain a business attorney and at least a bookkeeper if you cannot afford a CPA for the time being. And you will also need city licenses or permits depending on the city you are doing business in.
Welcome, to the wonderful world of cake decorating, owning your own business can be very gratifying.
Good Luck!
HTH
CakesbyBecca Regular Member
Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Central California
Birthday: Dec 15
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:00 am
Thanks for the info. It's so frustrating sometimes because you need money to jump through all the legal hoops but you can't legally get paid until you jump through all these hoops.
Becca
fondantgrl Frequent Member
Joined: Oct 11, 2007
Posts: 487
Location: Atlantis
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:14 am
Legalizing in CA to sell food is a pain.. That is why I do not want to do it as a business..
CakesbyBecca Regular Member
Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Central California
Birthday: Dec 15
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:22 am
fondantgirl, your work is BEAUTIFUL! What a shame that all the red tape is getting in the way for you
In CA its stiff but those of us who are determined to make it, you bear thru it.
First you need to find a location and one that will pass inspection. You will need to apply to the health deparment, they will tell you where the classes are for food handlers, how to get certified and do the inspection for the health dept. rating. (the letter you see in the window of any establishment that sells food) by the way, even the cake suppliers have to have this rating.
You will need to file a dba or doing business as thru the hall of records, you will need a resale permit and you get that from the dept. of equalization. Don't forget insurance, contact any insurance agent and they can help you with the types of insurance required for the business.
I would also retain a business attorney and at least a bookkeeper if you cannot afford a CPA for the time being. And you will also need city licenses or permits depending on the city you are doing business in.
Welcome, to the wonderful world of cake decorating, owning your own business can be very gratifying.
Good Luck!
HTH
Just wanted to say thanks for all the detailed information! I thought I knew what steps were necessary but I was unaware of the food handlers requirement.
justsweet Forum Fanatic
Joined: May 26, 2005
Posts: 1469
Location: Sunny California
I hope you do not mind it is off the subject but because a lot of you are from CA just wanted to mention I will be hosting a Jennifer Dontz gumpaste flower class in Hollister, CA. Class will be November 1 and 2, 2008 (Saturday and Sunday) If you are interested please PM your e-mail address and I will send you the information.
Good luck in starting a business.
alicegop Forum Addict
Joined: May 03, 2006
Posts: 984
Location: Fresno, CA
Birthday: Oct 06
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:06 pm
CakeByBecca I noticed your info said Central California, are you close to Fresno? At some point my friends and I are going to go together on a kitchen. Once I sell my 2nd house (ha ha in this market) I am going to buy a place to make cake in. Would love to meet a new cake friend though! I'd love to support you any way I can. I've done some research and things trying to get a kitchen rental going... but I think I won't do an actual kitchen rental as much as just go in with some friends... but we'll see what ends up happening.
Anyway, if you want to get together please email me alicegop@gmail.com I love to share and meet new people I have some fun cake decorating items I don't mind lending out.
CakesbyBecca Regular Member
Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Central California
Birthday: Dec 15
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:18 pm
That sounds GREAT! I live right outside Modesto, though, so it would be a bit of a drive to share a kitchen , but we definitely should meet sometime. Do you have a lot of "cake friends" locally?
Good luck selling your house. We're currently renting. We just moved from Oregon in January (managed to sell our house in 9 days! We couldn't believe it ) and we decided to get our financial affairs in order before buying again. It's hard to see all these great deals on houses and let them go, but we want to wait until we can afford the house we want and not "settle" for something we can afford now. Dh is convinced it's going to be a buyer's market for quite awhile. I would LOVE to find something that has a separate kitchen that can be make into a commercial kitchen, but what are the odds of that?
Becca
alicegop Forum Addict
Joined: May 03, 2006
Posts: 984
Location: Fresno, CA
Birthday: Oct 06
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:53 pm
Quote:
That sounds GREAT! I live right outside Modesto, though, so it would be a bit of a drive to share a kitchen Wink, but we definitely should meet sometime. Do you have a lot of "cake friends" locally?
Good luck selling your house. We're currently renting. We just moved from Oregon in January (managed to sell our house in 9 days! We couldn't believe it Surprised ) and we decided to get our financial affairs in order before buying again. It's hard to see all these great deals on houses and let them go, but we want to wait until we can afford the house we want and not "settle" for something we can afford now. Dh is convinced it's going to be a buyer's market for quite awhile. I would LOVE to find something that has a separate kitchen that can be make into a commercial kitchen, but what are the odds of that?
Yea, Modesto is a little far north. Lucky you being close to places that sell cake supplies. I had to start my own supply biz here since the pickings were slim.
I have several super nice local cake friends. I keep trying to get a cake club meeting going. Everyone wants to do it, but our schedules are always off and we haven't been able to pull it off yet. www.selfservebaker.com/fresnocakeclub Regardless, it would be fun to meet up! I'll pm you my phone number
I'm convinced it will be a buyers market for awhile too.... I am either going to lose my shirt on this 2nd property my brother stuck me with or have to hold onto it for a few more years in hopes of breaking closer to even. sigh.
The odds of you finding something with a separate kitchen honestly are very slim. Your separate kitchen has to be 10 feet from the house. 3 compartment sink, special paint on the walls, special flooring, grease trap, a hood for your oven (which runs $1000 a linear foot), handwash sink, own bathroom, blah blah blah blah..... I tried to remodel the back of my house for a separate kitchen.... turns out I couldn't do it since it wasn't 10 feet from the house. Can't be able to enter the kitchen from your primary living structure....
So my new plan is to sell the house I'm stuck with (HA) and buy the house next door and convert that over to a commercial kitchen and let my friends use it. We'll see how that goes.........
CakesbyBecca Regular Member
Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 124
Location: Central California
Birthday: Dec 15
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:03 pm
[/quote]So my new plan is to sell the house I'm stuck with (HA) and buy the house next door and convert that over to a commercial kitchen and let my friends use it. We'll see how that goes.........[quote]
What a great idea! I hope that works out for you.
Becca
fondantgrl Frequent Member
Joined: Oct 11, 2007
Posts: 487
Location: Atlantis
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:07 pm
CakesbyBecca wrote:
fondantgirl, your work is BEAUTIFUL! What a shame that all the red tape is getting in the way for you
Becca
Thank you Becca... I like it better this way.. that way I can make them when I want to. I'm here in Elk Grove, CA (Sacramento)
I didn't even know you could convert space on your property....the inspector here (also near Modesto) said that you could only use pre-zoned commercial property....not that I have anything 10 feet away from my house or property large enough
They DO make it tricky! My friend lives in Sanger and tried to make a go of it but ran into the same trouble....she pretty much gave it up now. Great idea about sharing a location - wish I had the kind of customer base to pay for that, lol.
alicegop Forum Addict
Joined: May 03, 2006
Posts: 984
Location: Fresno, CA
Birthday: Oct 06
Posted:
Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:32 pm
true about the zoning. YOu need a nice guy down in zoning at city hall. For the city of Fresno. You have to have a home business. There are very specific things that fall under a home business. For example I run the cake supply biz out of my house and that is okay since it is an internet biz. You can have a hair salon in your house and other things. They key is that you don't have employees. Technically a bakery doesn't fall under the list of home buisnesses, but you can actually fudge it to make it work under the home biz requirements if the guy down at city hall is nice. I was told that it depends who you talk to! One of the gentlemen was willing to sign off on it for me.
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. This year, I started the Wilton classes and just like I expected, I LOVE it! I'm definitely not ready to take money for cakes, but I'm learning quickly and I would like to head in the direction of becoming legal. I just moved to CA and I know that here, we have to use commercial kitchens, but what else do I need to do? I am HORRIBLE at research 
. I know I need to get some kind of food handlers license, but I don't even know how to do that. What steps do I need to go through to be legal?
, but we definitely should meet sometime. Do you have a lot of "cake friends" locally?
) and we decided to get our financial affairs in order before buying again. It's hard to see all these great deals on houses and let them go, but we want to wait until we can afford the house we want and not "settle" for something we can afford now. Dh is convinced it's going to be a buyer's market for quite awhile. I would LOVE to find something that has a separate kitchen that can be make into a commercial kitchen, but what are the odds of that?
