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  • From: "Marie Kamphefner" <kampy AT grm.net>
  • To: <roger69 AT yahoo.com>, "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc:
  • Subject: [Market-farming] commercial kitchen, was LLC
  • Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 09:35:40 -0600

Regards to the list:

Right now, it looks like the kitchen is going to cost us around $3000.
I'm sure it will go up as it begins to take shape and I think of more
stuff I want.

I think it's going to be about 500 square feet and it will be in the
southwest corner of our basement. According to Missouri law, it has to
have an outside entrance, be separate from living quarters, have an
approved sewer and water supply, triple sink, hand washing sink, mop
sink, washable surfaces ie, floor, walls, counters etc, vents for gas
appliances and covered light fixtures. We have French outside doors to
the basement so we can get big things in or out. As one comes inside,
there will be a vestibule sort of area with French doors into the
kitchen and another door into the rest of the basement.

The laws about commercial kitchens vary so much from state to state and
from county to county and city to city within a state. I understand
it's much easier in Kansas to have an approved kitchen than in Missouri.
Also, understand California is probably the most strict. We don't have
zoning regulations where we are, which makes things easier. Also,
sometimes rules in the same state vary according to who your inspector
is.

I have done wedding cakes for years and years (cakesbymarie.com) and I
have attended classes put on by the health department on food safety.
The local health department inspector is good about telling me what to
watch out for. I had a bakery/café in town for a while so I'm familiar
about how to handle foods for safety. I plan to can vegetables that
aren't used for the CSA and market and make jellies and jams with the
extra fruit. I plan to attend a class on processing like Robert Farr
mentioned. Some other plans for the kitchen are grinding my own corn
meal and wheat flour to sell. I do that now, but can't sell it. And,
baked goods.

I already have most of the cabinets and countertops, stainless tables,
mixers, sinks, convection ovens, range, pressure canners, storage
containers etc that I'll need. Coolers and Freezers have to meet
temperature requirements and I keep thermometers in them. Most of my
stuff was purchased at auctions. The convection ovens are probably the
most expensive of the lot. They're huge and I can bake 40 pies at once
in them. Since this kitchen will be a concrete floor, I'll probably
purchase fatigue mats to stand on. My refrigeration is old and ugly and
I do want to upgrade that sometime soon. I am on the lookout for an
electric sheeter to add to the mix.

I don't know how much the kitchen would be if we had to start from
scratch - Probably the amount would scare me. But, since we've spread
the cost out over the last 20 years, it isn't too bad.

We considered buying a used mobile home and fixing it up for a kitchen,
but we would have had to dig a new sewer system, new water lines and
remodel it. If things progress as we hope, perhaps we'll build a
separate building for the kitchen someday and have a warehouse attached.

Hope this helps.

Marie in Missouri where it's cold and windy

-----Original Message-----

Marie -

Would you mind sharing with us how much your kitchen is going to cost
and what's going in it?

Thanks
Roger Weeks





  • [Market-farming] Re: LLC, Roger Weeks, 12/15/2003
    • [Market-farming] commercial kitchen, was LLC, Marie Kamphefner, 12/17/2003

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