Frequently Asked PKH Questions

  • Do I need permits to sell my products? The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) requires that company manufacturing, processing, packing, holding or preparing food, or selling food at wholesale or retail in Florida must have a health food permit and annual inspection. However, you should check with your city or county for any requirements they may have.
  • How do I get my food managers certification? Pro Kitchen Hub offers the ServSafe Instructor Led Course onsite. Self study option also available; purchase the ServSafe book and study material and work at your own pace and when ready, schedule the proctored exam onsite.
  • Can I sell my homemade food? A food establishment license is required in almost all instances where food is commercially handled or served to the general public. However, you should check with your city or county for any requirements they may have.
  • Are Home-Based Food Businesses Legit? Prepared hot foods, food that needs to be held at a certain temperature (TCS – temperature control safety), or food that is ready-to-eat for public consumption are forbidden to be prepared in a home kitchen in the State of Florida because of the high risk of contamination. To do any kind of medium-to-large scale production, the only available option is to work out of a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen.
  • What is cottage law? Florida law allows individuals to use their unlicensed home kitchen to produce for sale certain foods that present a low risk of foodborne illness. Please refer to the following: http://bit.ly/PKH-CottageLaw
  • How can I sell my products under the cottage law? Please refer to the following: http://bit.ly/PKH-CottageLaw
  • How do I get people to know my food? Marketing, marketing, marketing! Pro Kitchen Hub does highlight high members on their website and social media platforms.
  • Do I need to follow any other laws while operating my Cottage Food business? Please refer to the following: http://bit.ly/PKH-CottageLaw
  • What happens if someone gets sick from my food? If one person gets sick, and you haven’t followed the regulations in your state, county, and municipality to the letter, you face the possibility of massive lawsuits, civil, or even criminal penalties. Your company should carry liability insurance as a form of protection.
  • If my company is licensed out of commercial kitchen, can I still sell certain products under the cottage? Once you company is licensed (DBPR or FDACS), it can no longer operate under the cottage law.
  • What are TCS foods? Foods that need time and temperature control for safety – include milk and dairy products, eggs, meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry, fish, shellfish and crustaceans, baked potatoes, tofu or other soy protein, sprouts and sprout seeds, sliced melons, cut tomatoes, cut leafy greens, untreated garlic.
  • Why TCS foods can be dangerous? Small amounts of bacteria growth in TCS food are not a problem, but too much can cause foodborne illness. TCS foods have the nutrients and moisture bacteria need to grow. Add time and warmth to the mix, and these foods can become bacteria breeding grounds.
  • Is it legal to sell food on Facebook? It is illegal to sell food online (any form of social media: FB, Instagram, etc.) without a food permit/license. The health department states that there are community licensed kitchens available, that anyone can legally use, to prepare food to be sold and delivered. The department plans to investigate community food Facebook groups to see how the food is prepared and if the operation needs to be shut down.
  • If my catering company currently operates under a retail license, can I bottle products and sell them to consumer and/or other businesses? Catering companies are regulated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and food products are regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Therefore, you would need to have a separate licensed company to sell products. In addition, a company cannot sell wholesale under a retail license.
  • As a Meal Prep company, can I package, sell and ship my meals nationally? Once meals become a packaged product with meat, the company will require to be licensed by the USDA.
  • What are the minimum hours I can rent the Kitchen? The Baseline Membership starts at 20 hours per month. The introductory Kickstarter Membership is designed to assist Members and provide ten (10) hours for development regarding starting a new culinary business for first year startups only.
  • How do I use the kitchen? Members create an account on the booking platform which provides easy kitchen scheduling and easy payment tracking, and reporting of all kitchen related expenses. Members have 24/7 access to the kitchen and once time is scheduled, selected space and equipment are taken off the inventory for the time that is booked.
  • What does my monthly membership cover? Resources that culinary entrepreneurs need to build and operate the business of their dreams, assistance through the state required paperwork and secure 24/7 access to a commercial licensed kitchen and equipment.
  • Do you provide smallwares? No, smallwares are not provided. Some of the equipment available are convection ovens, 8qt and 20qt mixers, blenders, citrus juicers, slicers, immersion blenders, meat grinders, etc.
  • Can I store my ingredients/products in the kitchen? For a monthly fee, members can bring and setup a commercial grade wire shelf (must meet size requirements and on wheels) onsite for dry storage, and upon availability of space, Silver Members and above can bring a single door or double door reach-in refrigerator or freezer.
  • What is the minimum age group allowed to work in the kitchen? Under Florida’s child labor laws, a minor must be 14 years old to work in the kitchen.
  • Can I bring my own equipment? Yes. For electrical equipment, specs for power and space requirements must be submitted to PKH management for assessment and approval. Monthly specialty equipment fee will be applied starting at $50 depending on power and space requirements. Large commercial gas equipment cannot be accommodated.
  • Do I need to clean up after using the kitchen? Yes. Members using the Pro Kitchen Hub facility are expected to follow all proper sanitation requirements as well as keep the kitchen in a clean and professional state. Members are also expected to properly clean and sanitize after their session, and keep the kitchen ready for use by the next Member/Company.
  • Do I get fine if I leave the kitchen dirty? PKH has developed a Cleaning Policies and Procedures with detailed explanations of the proper sanitation and cleaning requirements that all members are expected to follow. Members will be fined in accordance with the violation.
  • Do I get fined if I leave the appliances on? PKH has developed Policies and Procedures with detailed explanations of the proper use of the kitchen that all members are expected to follow. Members will be fined in accordance with the violation schedule.
  • If I break an equipment, am I responsible? A deposit is held and may be used as necessary to pay for damages and/or repairs. PKH will demand that the Member replaces the amount of the Security Deposit and any additional cost used by Management for repair.
  • Do all my employee required to have the food handlers certification? Yes, anyone working in the kitchen is required to have at a minimum the food handler certification.
  • If me or my employees get hurt who is responsible? Every Member/Company operating at Pro Kitchen Hub is required to carry liability insurance for such incidents.
  • Can I use my catering license to operate a mobile/food truck/trailer? No. Mobile operation will require a separate mobile license.
  • Can alcohol be consumed on premises while working in the kitchen? No! Alcohol nor drug consumption is allowed on premises.
  • Can I sublease my membership to another company? No. Member can not assign the Lease or sublease the PKH Membership to anyone other entity. The lease guarantor cannot use the premises without all required state licensure(s) and other requirements delineated in the Lease Agreement or otherwise required by PKH Management under its Policies and Procedures

Resources