Do I Need a Full Food Truck Setup to Get Started?
Quote from Priscilla B on Oct 15, 2024, 12:01 pmI’ve been thinking about starting a food truck for a while but trying to do it on a serious budget. Has anyone here ever just started cooking out of their house? I’ve got a ton of experience since I was a restaurant manager for years at one of the big BBQ chains so I know my way around health inspections and keeping things clean. I’m hitting up the health department next week to get the paperwork, but I’m wondering if this is even a good way to kick things off. How did you guys start out on limited funds?
I’m trying to do everything legit, by the book. Do I have to have a truck, though? I see people smoking meat off a pull-behind smoker. Could I do this? Or do I really need the whole food truck setup to start this business? I want to start a BBQ food truck eventually.
I’ve been thinking about starting a food truck for a while but trying to do it on a serious budget. Has anyone here ever just started cooking out of their house? I’ve got a ton of experience since I was a restaurant manager for years at one of the big BBQ chains so I know my way around health inspections and keeping things clean. I’m hitting up the health department next week to get the paperwork, but I’m wondering if this is even a good way to kick things off. How did you guys start out on limited funds?
I’m trying to do everything legit, by the book. Do I have to have a truck, though? I see people smoking meat off a pull-behind smoker. Could I do this? Or do I really need the whole food truck setup to start this business? I want to start a BBQ food truck eventually.
Quote from camille ck on Oct 15, 2024, 12:05 pmYou can’t legally cook out of your home unless you’re only making approved cottage food laws. You’ll need to work out of a commercial kitchen for anything else, which means either a food truck, trailer, or renting space at a commissary kitchen. Even if you have a food truck or trailer, you’ll still likely need a commissary for certain things like oil disposal, grey water, food storage, and more. So no, doing it from home isn’t going to fly.
You can’t legally cook out of your home unless you’re only making approved cottage food laws. You’ll need to work out of a commercial kitchen for anything else, which means either a food truck, trailer, or renting space at a commissary kitchen. Even if you have a food truck or trailer, you’ll still likely need a commissary for certain things like oil disposal, grey water, food storage, and more. So no, doing it from home isn’t going to fly.
Quote from lex ander on Oct 15, 2024, 12:11 pmYou’ve gotta reach out to your local health department because there’s no one-size-fits-all rulebook for food vending. Regulations vary not just by state, but sometimes even by county. Where I live, each county has its own set of rules, and some are way stricter than others. So, what flies in one place might not work in another. Best to get the info straight from the source in your area before diving in.
You’ve gotta reach out to your local health department because there’s no one-size-fits-all rulebook for food vending. Regulations vary not just by state, but sometimes even by county. Where I live, each county has its own set of rules, and some are way stricter than others. So, what flies in one place might not work in another. Best to get the info straight from the source in your area before diving in.