So I have been looking for a kitchen to rent and have had no luck so my light bulb finally lit up I called my local health inspector and asked him, if he knew of any caterers that rented space and he gave me the address of a lady who sells packaged food items to different vendors, and I went this morning walked right in and she is willing, she is already renting another time slot to a lady that sells candy. I will be using the 5:30 til whenever I'm done time slot, she will let me use her equipment and give me storage. She says she is started her business just like that so she understand how difficult it is be legal. The best part was her monthly fee $ (close to nothing)
The best thing is I know she is in the right zone to manufacture & her kitchen is health department apporved!!!!!
Off to take my food hadler's class!
Just wanted to share and let you know for those looking that you will find a place, and just when you feel like giving up DON'T

That is so cool and smart on your part. How exciting. I have been trying all day to find the health department in our county and we don't have one. Either the state or another county has to come out and both of them told me good luck on that. I am so glad your found a space and it sounds like it is from someone you will be able to deal with.

in the county i live in I actually spoke to environmental services..health dept transferred me to them, lol

notjustcake - You are one smart cookie (no pun intended) for that. I would've never thought to do that, but it makes complete sense. I've been searching for kitchen space to rent and haven't had any luck either.

HD here I come.....

notjustcake..forgot to say congrats! great thinking on that.. i may have to do the same

I thought it might help some of you if you called also, the guy was real nice too! Anyways they do these inspections all day and they know who is renting space to whom so... I felt hopeless when he only gave me one name, but worked out! Good Luck everybody

notjustcake....I forgot to say "congrats" as well. Sorry, I think I left part of my brain at home in bed today.

Congratulations! Lucky you!

That is great. My health inspector wouldn't give me any names. He almost did and then said he didn't feel comfortable doing that. Oh well. I have my own kitchen now.

also you can try your local vfw or your local fire department.

Awesome! Congrats on the space!!!

I did the exact same thing to find my kitchen. I was so frustrated after calling and being rejected by about 15 different places that I could think of that had commercial kitchens, I almost gave up. Then, one day I thought, hey, I wonder if the Department of Health has a list of licensed kitchens in my town. At least it might give me a few new names to call. I called them and talked to a VERY nice lady who was super helpful and gave me a name of a local motel that had a licensed kitchen, but didn't use it and was currently renting it to a catering business. I called them and we had a deal the very same day!! Turns out the catering business is licensed out of it, but NEVER uses it. They just use it to keep the license. Hey... works for me!

I did the exact same thing to find my kitchen. I was so frustrated after calling and being rejected by about 15 different places that I could think of that had commercial kitchens, I almost gave up. Then, one day I thought, hey, I wonder if the Department of Health has a list of licensed kitchens in my town. At least it might give me a few new names to call. I called them and talked to a VERY nice lady who was super helpful and gave me a name of a local motel that had a licensed kitchen, but didn't use it and was currently renting it to a catering business. I called them and we had a deal the very same day!! Turns out the catering business is licensed out of it, but NEVER uses it. They just use it to keep the license. Hey... works for me!

Yes, after I was fined, the Health Inspector was giving me locations to check out--right there after handing me the citation. They REALLY are helpful if they know that you are wanting to do it right.

OHHHHH Mac that sucks!!!!! hope all is well now!

I was so excited today b/c I sent off for my business lic with the state and spoke with the Health Department in regards to gettting my guest quarters approved to do business in! The guy seemed very very nice and even drop the packet off in my mail box while he was in the area yesterday! Im quite sure he was checking out the place as well.
Now i'm wondering should I be worried the process could grow to be a pain in my you know what? I was told all I had to do is draw out the floor plan, get it approved and then they would come when I was finished and do a final inspection. Seems painless enough! Or am I just too excited and overlooking some other processes that may not be so obivous to me?

Just wanted to say, "Thank You for the tip!"
That is a great idea, and I will too will visit my HD.
Congratulations, and Good Luck!!

Congratulations!! Great idea too.

try the vfw or fire dept? You mean ask if they have a kitchen to rent out or if they have names of ppl who do?