Learn
Guides for home cooks and food lovers, from permits and inspections through ordering, pickup and dietary questions.
For Food Lovers
What Is a Home Kitchen?
A first-time customer's guide to permitted home-cooked food in San Diego County.
GuideHow Does Buying From a Home Kitchen Work?
A simple walkthrough from finding a cook to enjoying the meal.
GuideAre Home Kitchens Legal and Permitted?
What customers should know about San Diego County’s home kitchen program.
GuideAre Home Kitchens Inspected? How to Check
County inspection, what it covers, and how to look a kitchen up yourself.
GuideWhat Should I Expect When Ordering?
A practical guide for your first home kitchen order.
GuideHow to Find a Home Kitchen Near You
Using the My Home Kitchens directory.
GuidePickup, Delivery and Dining: How It Works
Know the three service options before you order.
GuideFood Safety: What Customers Should Know
The safeguards behind a permitted home kitchen — and their limits.
GuideAllergies and Dietary Needs: What to Ask
When ingredients matter to your health, ask before you order.
GuideWhy Buy From a Home Cook?
A different way to find food and support a neighbor.
GuideDiscover Foods and Cultures in Your Community
Let curiosity lead you to new dishes, traditions, and neighbors.
GuideMeet the People Behind the Food
What a cook’s profile shows — and what it keeps private.
GuideHome Kitchen FAQ for Customers
Quick answers for someone meeting a home kitchen for the first time.
FAQ
For Home Cooks
MEHKO vs. Cottage Food
California has two home food permits. Cottage Food covers shelf-stable items, a MEHKO covers fresh meals, and you cannot hold both.
GuideMEHKO Glossary
What the technical terms on County MEHKO forms mean, in plain English.
GlossaryFinding Customers May Be the Hard Part
Why demand rather than the permit is the hard part of a home kitchen business, and how to test it first.
GuideHousehold and Lifestyle Considerations
How a home kitchen business affects your household, your schedule and the space you live in.
GuideYour Daily Kitchen Workflow
How a MEHKO cooking day runs, hour by hour, from prep through handover and cleaning.
GuidePurchasing, Inventory and Waste
How to buy for the next cooking day, track what you hold, and cut waste.
GuideQuality and Consistency
How to cook the same dish the same way every time, using recipes, portions and checks.
GuideBranding Your Home Kitchen
How to choose a name, a look and a description that people remember and repeat.
GuideTaking Better Food Photos
How to photograph your food with a phone, window light and a clean background.
GuideRepeat Customers and Referrals
How to turn first orders into regulars, and regulars into referrals.
Guide