What Do You Think...will It Work

Business By cakecraving Updated 13 Aug 2012 , 9:27pm by cakecraving

cakecraving Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakecraving Posted 13 Aug 2012 , 1:31pm
post #1 of 4

Just a little insider about myself so you know where I am coming from.
I have been looking into opening a little custom cake shop. When I first started making cakes I had taken a few Wilton classes and fell in love. Everyone started asking me to make them cakes. So I thought I should sell my cakes.
I bought a website and a business name. Filed fictious name papers and then found out .... well duh you have to have a kitchen. Being in CA they are very food strict.
So my question is what about a mobile food truck. I have been looking into these and so many come with everything....Convection oven, hoods, 3 basin sinks, etc. Has anyone tried or have a mobile commercial kitchen? Does this work for you? Is there anything special I need to look out for? Thanks in advance for any advise

3 replies
jason_kraft Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jason_kraft Posted 13 Aug 2012 , 3:52pm
post #2 of 4

A mobile food truck can work (there are a few successful dessert trucks in OC) but it will probably turn out to be more expensive than renting space in a commercial kitchen without a storefront, especially if you are focusing on cakes instead of smaller desserts..

FromScratchSF Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
FromScratchSF Posted 13 Aug 2012 , 6:11pm
post #3 of 4

I'm in SF and work around a LOT of trucks - Even with a truck you still need to rent commercial space. Your truck needs to be cleaned, sanitized and re-stocked at a commissary, all your goods that don't fit on the truck must be stored at the commissary, and any prep work that you don't do on the truck must be done at a commissary. Don't know if you've ever been on a truck, but I've been on all sizes - there isn't that much room - no way would it fit all your dry/perishables/pans/racks/tools/packaging etc.

You can't just park it at your house. All the food trucks that are at my kitchen (and there are at least 20) are required to park their truck at the kitchen when not in use. If the commissary doesn't offer parking then you have to rent space at a lot zoned as commercial.

Your truck also has to be registered to a commercial facility and use that as the mailing/business address (that has to be posted on the truck near the menu). Your customers need to have a legal address to file a complaint if they get sick, and that address must be a licensed kitchen with your truck as a registered tenant.

Your county may have different rules then San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and Marin counties (which are the counties I am most familiar with), but I can't imagine they'd be much different otherwise lots of people would have food trucks parked on their lawns icon_biggrin.gif

cakecraving Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakecraving Posted 13 Aug 2012 , 9:27pm
post #4 of 4

PERFECT
I think you answered all my questions... with insurance, where to park, address of kitchen. I was wondering how they did that. makes since now. Thanks icon_smile.gif

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%