Update about MEHKO – (Micro Enterprise Home Kitchen Operation aka Home Restaurant) work in person. Colleagues and I gave 2 small food business talks at the Expo.
– Home-Based Food Businesses (Cottage Food, MEHKO and Food Cart Commissary) -Peter Rudduck, Christine Dzujna from Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and Lani Clough Fox, a cottage food marshmallow maker from LA County
– Policy and Regulatory Tools for Small Food Producers – Christine Dzujna, talking about things common to many small food producers.
There is movement on MEHKO in a few counties, most notably Monterey, Ventura, Santa Cruz, LA and Yolo in recent weeks. We may be getting a groundswell. Peter is working to help as many of these counties as I can.
It’s been 5 1/2 months since Santa Clara adopted MEHKO and we’re off to a fast start. And San Mateo turned their pilot program into a permanent one last week after it hit the 2 year point. It’s a success wherever it’s been adopted so far! Look for a Home Restaurant in your neighborhood and get yourself a good local meal, while supporting our local economy.
The National Heirloom Expo was fun. After a 3 year hiatus and a move across the state, it wasn’t as well organized as it used to be (not that it was ever smooth) and they hadn’t plugged well enough into the SoCal community, but it was well enough attended and a lot of fun. I’ll hope that they return to Ventura next year and have a few things better dialed in (more lunch options and tea/coffee on site to top the list!). Update about MEHKO
I wore about this topic a few weeks ago, it seems that there is a ground swell or more people who are interested in MEKHO. The take that the Health Board is taking is here.
**Effective January 1, 2019, the new law gives a city or county “full discretion” to authorize the MEHKOs in their jurisdiction. Under the regulations, until a county or a city authorizes these types of operations, MEHKOs will not be able to be issued a health permit to operate. To learn if a city and/or county has adopted an ordinance or resolution, or to find information about the full permit and operational requirements to operate a MEHKO in your area, please contact your local environmental health agency.
The article I wrote is here. If you have any questions please reach out to Peter. He’s the man who knows. Emerging restaurants starting small. https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/emerging-brands/inside-emerging-world-home-based-restaurants
Peter Ruddock(650) 283-0978
Founder, Resilient Foodsheds [FB]Curator, Green Omnivore [FB]
Board Member, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund [FB]
Thank you Peter for posting the Update about MEHKO.
PS. Outdoor eateries. image from the Secret Garden. Now that the days are getting warmer and longer, it’s time to find the perfect restaurant that offers top-notch outdoor dining options. Of course, it’s no secret that New Orleans is home to an enchanting courtyard or two, but it can be quite overwhelming when searching for the perfect place to dine outside, from homemade food.