New home kitchen permit opens entrepreneurial door for Contra Costa County cooks

It’s been almost half a century since Debbie Carrillo’s journey as a home cook began in her mother’s kitchen in Hayward. 

She and her sister, Deeann Carillo, discovered their love for cooking while learning how to make savory and sweet dishes rooted in their Italian and Puerto Rican ancestry.

Last year, Debbie Carrillo lost her job as a cook for a financial firm, where she prepared lunch for 30 to 65 people every day. Before that, she had spent nearly two decades working at a stationery manufacturing company. But it had always been in the kitchen, surrounded by the rhythm of cooking, that she felt most at home. 

After her layoff, she seriously considered running her own food business and began searching for affordable options that would let her pursue her dream. Owning a restaurant would involve significant funds, which she didn’t have. 

“At first, I was going in circles, trying to figure out the business paperwork and everything else. This was when I got to know about Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations, or MEHKO program,” said Debbie, who lives in Concord with Deeann. 

In 2019, California established MEHKO after a law was passed allowing home-based cooks to prepare and sell meals directly to the public. In June, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved the two-year MEHKO pilot program. Debbie was among the first to apply.

For less than $1,000, she obtained a permit. Compared to over $274,000 required to open and operate a restaurant, Debbie said the price and freedom to cook in her own space for customers made the program attractive. 

MEHKO has opened doors for first-time entrepreneurs, but it comes with limitations. 

Since 2019, at least 19 jurisdictions have approved MEHKOs, creating more than 100 certified home kitchens. Data from the Contra Costa County Health Department revealed that 200 people signed up for public informational MEHKO workshops, 190 sought consultations and 43 submitted applications.  

Permits cost $696 initially and $345 to renew, including $199 per hour for a periodic review of updated standard operating procedures that ensures home kitchens are compliant with health and safety polices.

As of March Contra Costa had awarded 31 permits, including in Richmond, Pinole, and San Pablo. Concord, where the Carrillos set up their kitchen — Two Sisters Catering — has six.

“By providing this option we ensure that people who sell food out of their homes do so in a safe manner that protects the health of our community,” Federal Glover, chair of the Contra Costa County Supervisors, said in a July news release. “We also open the door for neighborhood businesses, and for more access to healthy, nutritious food in areas where options may be limited.”

Advertising limited

Under MEHKO  regulations, no more than 30 meals can be prepared and served per day, a maximum of 90 meals per week, with dine-in, delivery and take-out service allowed. 

The permit cannot be used for catering, nor can food be sold in public spaces or retail stores. Permit holders’ annual sales are capped at $100,000, adjusted annually for inflation. Certain foods, such as raw milk products, raw oysters, and vacuum-packed items, are prohibited.

But one of MEHKO’s biggest restrictions is the ban on physical advertisements of businesses on the premises where the meals are prepared. It’s a rule Debbie Carillo doesn’t like. 

“If I’m paying for the permits and license, I should be allowed to advertise at home,” she said. 

The Carillos’ client base has grown through word of mouth, corporate lunches, and individual meal orders via Instagram, where they share varieties of savory dishes and sweet treats with followers.

“The most requested dish is lasagna and enchiladas. For pastries, Deeann makes those, it would be lemon bundt cake, shortbread dip, shortbread cookies, and these amazing Italian sandwiches,” Debbie Carillo said. 

MEHKOs are also prohibited from listing their business with on-demand food delivery platforms like DoorDash or Uber Eats. 

“This was the first law of its kind to pass throughout the entire United States,” said Roya Bagheri, Cook Alliance executive director.  “It was a huge leap of faith for environmental health organizations to do this”. 

Alameda County was among the first to approve home kitchens. By 2021, Oakland had at least six. (Richmond Confidential asked Alameda County for a list of MEHKO permit holders but was charged $348 for the records, which the new news site declined to pay.) 

Bagheri said that as of 2024, about 1,000 MEHKO permits have been issued across the state, with at least 600 currently active. Solano, Sonoma and San Mateo also are among the Bay Area counties that permit home kitchen operations, as does Berkeley.

Bagheri said MEHKO has become a starting point for home cooks to launch restaurant or catering businesses. 

The Carrillos have no immediate plans to open a restaurant, though they are keeping the option open. 

(This story was updated to correct the year of Debbie Carrillo’s layoff, and to clarify the rules on advertising.)

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