How to start a catering or home-based food business

Anyone who prepares food for public consumption needs a permit to operate a food service issued by Public Health - Seattle & King County.

Prior to issuing the permit, a plan review for the food service must be completed. Submit plans that detail the facilities and the menu to the Food Plans Examiner listed below. Be prepared to discuss food preparation techniques and temperature control during food transport and service. Each catering business needs a food service permit to legally prepare and serve food as hired prior to private parties and events in King County.

• Visit the Food Business homepage to download plan guides and applications.

No food service can be approved in a home kitchen, unless there are two separate kitchens. A commercial kitchen must be totally separate from the kitchen used by the people who live there. An approved kitchen in a home would have to meet all of the requirements for any commercial food service. These requirements are detailed in the Food Service Plan Guide.

As an alternative to constructing your own kitchen, the catering business could be operated out of an already approved kitchen. All food preparation would take place in the approved food service. Restaurant kitchens that are not open all the time or that have extra work space could possibly be utilized. Some church, school or community center kitchens may also be acceptable. The "shared" kitchen situations are evaluated on an individual basis.

As a caterer providing food to the public, you and your employees need to attend a Food Safety class and take a test on what you learned to obtain your Food Worker Cards. The class and test takes about 90 minutes to complete and costs $10.00 cash per person.

• Visit the Food Worker's Permit homepage
  Includes a checklist to prepare for the class and test and the current schedule of locations and times in King County.
  
  
• Study "Food Safety Basics for Working Healthy"
  A study guide to help you prepare for the class and test.
  
  
• Visit the Food Safety Video Library to watch streaming food safety videos through your internet browser. Videos are available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Korean, and Russian.