Vending/catering and the Health Dept

chad said:
Mobile food service is the "easiest" way to be compliant and safe. However, it's not cheap. Basically, you have a certified mobile kitchen (look at Southern Yankee and Austin National to get an idea - there are others) in which you can prep, store, cook, cleanup, etc. and only return to your "commissary" to dump waste water, fill up with clean water, clean the rig, etc.

Your mobile kichen will carry your health certificate and your commissary must be inspected, too. This is where the use of a VFW or American Legion, or Moose/Elk/etc. contact can help you out. They might even have a covered screened area that you could cook in and fulfill the requirements.

Otherwise, if you don't have your own commissary with say a covered and screened cooking area (think old hamburger stand with full kitchen and a screened area for your cooker) you're nearly always going to be out of compliance. Your "hamburger stand" would be where your health certificate would be based.


Nobody said this was easy!!
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This varies from state to state. I can cook all on site and as long as I am "under cover" (EZ Ups) I do not need screening. Also, I can set up a table with three plastic tubs (wash, rinse, sanitize) and a handwash station (Igloo with hot water. hand soap, paper towels, covered waste basket, and tub for grey water) and I am good. Coolers with ice to insure cold food is kept cold. The upright on my pit insures hot food stays hot. I LOVE cooking on-site! It is precisely why I bought the big pit! Folks LOVE it when I drive it up and start a fire in it! I can actually justify charging more because I cook on-site!
 
LostNation said:
In Vermont I have two licenses, one to cook at home and one to cook on site. The only requirement is that my water is potable and is tested every year I re-new my licenses. These cost me a total of $200 for both. My insurance is covered under a rider on my contractors insurance, I really don't build anything anymore but I keep the insurance. I think Vermont is one of the easiest stated to cater legally in.
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Much easier than us! If I wanted to hang a shingle and cater - I would have to have a separate kitchen from "home" (could be an outbuilding on the property that is decked out..) and you are required to be liscenced just like a dine-in establishment.
 
We do alot of our cooking onsite. I'll have to see if that allows me to get different permits outside of just what you can arrange at local festivals.

I think the issue is - that some of us would like to cook a little, when asked. However, we aren't trying to make a "business" out of it.

There doesnt seem to be an easy way to "get over the hump". Either you have fork out the bucks and lease/own a kitchen that would be acceptable -- or just not cook.

I agree on the private parties. Gotta have insurance regardless of what you are doing.
 
The Woodman said:
This varies from state to state. I can cook all on site and as long as I am "under cover" (EZ Ups) I do not need screening. Also, I can set up a table with three plastic tubs (wash, rinse, sanitize) and a handwash station (Igloo with hot water. hand soap, paper towels, covered waste basket, and tub for grey water) and I am good. Coolers with ice to insure cold food is kept cold. The upright on my pit insures hot food stays hot. I LOVE cooking on-site! It is precisely why I bought the big pit! Folks LOVE it when I drive it up and start a fire in it! I can actually justify charging more because I cook on-site!
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They get all excited when they pull up and see the smoke wafting from the pit.... and all the gear. People just love it.... and pay for it :wink:
 
Let me let you in on a big secret. If you buy an older establishment to convert, heath codes will require you to saw up the floors, and place floor sinks in so that all your water drains properly, and your sewage cannot back up into the three compartment sink, the hand sink, the prep sink.....
Not a cheap prospect. Trust me I know!
 
So should I get insurance just to cook for my company party at a private residence? There will probably be 75 to 100 people there. Seems like a waste of money to me if I'm not going to cook for groups regularly.
 
Jeff_in_KC said:
So should I get insurance just to cook for my company party at a private residence? There will probably be 75 to 100 people there. Seems like a waste of money to me if I'm not going to cook for groups regularly.
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You feel lucky?
 
Jeff_in_KC said:
So should I get insurance just to cook for my company party at a private residence? There will probably be 75 to 100 people there. Seems like a waste of money to me if I'm not going to cook for groups regularly.
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I for one , wouldnt think so. you are an employee, cooking for an employee function, at an employee residence.. presumably, corporate umbrella policy would kick in somewhere.. company wouldnt take out extra insurance if they had a company softball game... doing it as an employee , and not your que team name, would put you in a different status
 
Jeff, I have gone through this vicious circle for about 4 years now. If you are preparing food on site, and not delivering, you do not need any insurance or catering license. I have a Blue Springs Business license (just in case) and a $1,000,000 umbrella policy that covers me for whatever some dumbass wants to sue me for. The umbrella is fairly inexpensive when grouped with home and 3 autos, roughly $20 per month. As I have told my wife on numerous occasions, absolutely noone has EVER gotten sick eating my food, (she made me get the umbrella anyway)!
 
The Woodman said:
Here are some photo's of my kitchen from a cook I did this weekend addressing a couple of things the health dept looks for like dishes and handwash station. I lost a bundle on this cook! Planned for 300. Served 110! TEmperature was 90 and no one was hungry.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=u7bq7ot.18fm85up&Uy=-a9ksee&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=750861081751_91762067809
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Thanks for the slide show Woody. Is there a minimum temp for the hand wash water?
Too bad the high temps killed your guest's appetites. You had a nice clean set up.
 
Last edited:
Washing in a 3-compartment sink: A three-compartment sink must be used when using a sink to wash dishes and equipment. The order is scrape the dishes, wash in detergent (110°F), rinse in clean water (110°F), dip in sanitizing solution (follow manufacturers directions), and air dry.
Always store utensils and plates in a clean dry place. For glassware, store bottom up in a clean dry area.

Chemical Sanitizing: Approved chemical sanitizers such as chlorine, iodine, and quaternary ammonium. The effectiveness of chemical sanitizers include:
· Concentration: Product directions state the amount of sanitizer to add to water.
You must have a water test kit to measure the concentration of sanitizing solutions during use.
A minimum of 50 parts per million of chlorine mixed with water
A minimum of 12.5 ppm of iodine mixes with water


A minimum of 200 ppm of Quaternary ammonium mixed with water.

· Temperature: Sanitizer an approved chemical and water solution should be at a temperature of at least 75°F.

· Contact time: Sanitizing solutions need to make contact with surfaces for at least 10 seconds.

Believe this or not, regulations state that you may not wash your hands in your three compartment sink!
 
One thing I did not realize, is that the sanitizing solution is more effective when room temp. The bleah will evap out more quickly at higher temps! I quit using hot water for sanitizing!
 
bbqjoe said:
Believe this or not, regulations state that you may not wash your hands in your three compartment sink!
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Oh yeah. Had the argument with the health inspector. I lost.
 
I was told of a story of a person who was washing a pot in the three compartment sink. Rinsed the gunk off her hands from the pot after washing it.
Cited for violation!

Hint: Pretend you are washing something in the sink while washing hands?
 
big brother smoke said:
Are folks required to have a seperate sink for food preparation?
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Somewhat of a gray area here. I believe I read somewhere it is okay to wash vegetables in the 3 compartment sink. (Don't quote me on that)
But if you were trying for a health dept permit, I would put in a separate "Prep" sink, as well as a handwashing sink.
 
Joe:

I am stopping by the county office tomorrow. My rig is being built now and I do not want to go back and add another sink after it is completed. I just purchased a three compartment sink and handwashing sink.

I am not 100% sure If I need a permit from the health department for my catering rig if I am doing corporate or private functions only. I am hoping to only need a business license and insurance.

To be continued! I will let you know what my county wants.
 
big brother smoke said:
Joe:

I am stopping by the county office tomorrow. My rig is being built now and I do not want to go back and add another sink after it is completed. I just purchased a three compartment sink and handwashing sink.

I am not 100% sure If I need a permit from the health department for my catering rig if I am doing corporate or private functions only. I am hoping to only need a business license and insurance.

To be continued! I will let you know what my county wants.
Click to expand...

It may be worth your time and money to take the food safety class. Here's a link to food safety certification information for Ventura county. May not need it, but then again it may help when you try to get insured.
http://www.ventura.org/envhealth/programs/cons_food/foodcert.htm
 
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