Hello all,
I am trying to start a highend cake decorating business. I use to rent time in a commercial kitchen and was told all I needed to do was have a food handlers license and to register my business at the clerks office. I now rent a studio. My question is do I have to license my kitchen in my new location (east williamsburg, brooklyn)? How do I do this? What does it in tail?
I thank you all for your advice.
Hello EdibleBliss, welcome to CC 
I too wanted to open up a place in NYC but things can be so confusing. You have your basics covered, food handling license, and registered business. Now you need to contact the department of health so they can inspect your commercial kitchen. They have to make sure your kitchen is up to code. You will also need to purchase product liability insurance to protect you from any lawsuits should someone get sick or claim to have gotten sick by your product. Best thing is to contact your local SBA and they will be able to give you the proper departments and people to call about this. Best of Luck and if you need a helping hand in the cake decorating dept., let me know 
I live in Queens
Thank you so much for your help. I have to do a lot of work. 
Are you going to school for pastry/ cakes decorating? 
You also have to make sure you are zoned properly. Cannot sell cake out of a residential neighborhood in NY unless you are a wholesaler who is then inspected by the dept. of Agriculture.
Your studio has to be in a mixed or commercial zone.
Good point HCL
To answer your question edible bliss I haven't gone to pastry art school but I pick up cake decorating classes when I can. But most of my studies come from all the folks here on CC. This place is a wealth of inspiration and information
You also have to make sure you are zoned properly. Cannot sell cake out of a residential neighborhood in NY unless you are a wholesaler who is then inspected by the dept. of Agriculture.
Your studio has to be in a mixed or commercial zone.
Is that the case for just the 5 boroughs in New York City or New York State? I am outside the city and am having a hard time finding info online. I guess I gotta just take a day off and go into the county bldg and get info. This site is helpful but this forum is huge and there's a lot to read! I've been in here for over 2hrs trying to find info on starting a home based business in NY (outside the city).
You also have to make sure you are zoned properly. Cannot sell cake out of a residential neighborhood in NY unless you are a wholesaler who is then inspected by the dept. of Agriculture.
Your studio has to be in a mixed or commercial zone.
Is that the case for just the 5 boroughs in New York City or New York State? I am outside the city and am having a hard time finding info online. I guess I gotta just take a day off and go into the county bldg and get info. This site is helpful but this forum is huge and there's a lot to read! I've been in here for over 2hrs trying to find info on starting a home based business in NY (outside the city).
NYC is very complicated as I am yet to get a straight answer from anyone in any of the departments. I would love for the information to be in one place but too many departments and no one communicates!
It is funny you posted this today because I have been researching a lot this morning specifically because of the hot thread in this forum on being licensed. I did contact the NY State Dept of Agriculture and regardless if you are baking wholesale or retail you will need a food processing license through them. This way they can inspect your commercial space (sorry no home kitchens in NY State). I checked out the application and you need to take a food certificate course and pass the exam, you will need to rent or use a kitchen incubator which they will need to inspect and make sure it is up to code, you will also need to register your business (hence a business id number unless you will be a sole prop.). And besides all this you will need a certificate of authority to charge tax (this one I am still shady on b/c what if you don't charge tax, just one fixed price???).
This is where I am at and still confused on where to begin. I am just going to finish up my food certificate course and take it one step at a time. Someone in NY has to know about this...Rob Ben Israel, Sylvia W., Confetti Cakes, Cake Alchemy and Ruth Drenner, etc...
I did contact the NY State Dept of Agriculture and regardless if you are baking wholesale or retail you will need a food processing license through them. This way they can inspect your commercial space (sorry no home kitchens in NY State). I checked out the application and you need to take a food certificate course and pass the exam, you will need to rent or use a kitchen incubator which they will need to inspect and make sure it is up to code, you will also need to register your business (hence a business id number unless you will be a sole prop.). And besides all this you will need a certificate of authority to charge tax, etc...
Wow! I was hoping to get a home kitchen deal. I have no interest in opening a bakery. I like working out of my home. I think Connecticut is different. Hmm... Anyway, thanks for the info. It's a lot to take in and process. I've never thought about renting or using a kitchen incubator. Dag this is more complicated than I thought!
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