San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new home kitchen program on Wednesday to allow the operation of Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations slated to take effect in 30 days.
On Jan.12, the board unanimously approved the first reading of a two-year temporary authorization of Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs), which operators to serve up to 30 in-person, take out, or deliver meals daily and up to 60 meals weekly.
Through the two-year temporary authorization of the ordinance, county staff will study local MEHKOs, and present the data to the board before it expires. The board will then determine whether to make the ordinance permanent.
A health permit is required, and home kitchens must pass food safety inspections. A proposal to draft the ordinance was made by Supervisor Nora Vargas, along with Supervisor Joel Anderson in September.
During public meetings and hearings, county staff has stated that MEHKOs could have numerous potential economic and community benefits. The ordinance would enable the exploration of skills and ideas to aspiring restaurants for an overall start-up cost of $750. According to county staff, this ordinance would provide "food justice", and healthy, home-cooked meals for communities that may not have that kind of access.
Those who wish to operate a MEHKOs are required to submit an application, earn a food safety manager certificate from an approved school, pass an initial inspection, and undergo annual inspections. The county will conduct private wellness tests on kitchens that rely on well water to ensure the water is safe to use.
The state established a MEHKO addition to the California Retail Food Code in 2019, which is the state law that establishes health and sanitation standards and regulates food facilities. Though, there are restrictions under state law.
Some of those restrictions include:
- MEHKOs must be operated by a resident living in the home or apartment
- They cannot have more than one full-time employee excluding family members.
- Food must be prepared and served on the same day and sold directly to consumers.
- They’re limited to $50,000 in sales a year.
- They cannot operate as caterers, temporary event vendors, mobile event vendors, or cottage food operators that prepare and sell packaged foods.
