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Thread: Registered kitchen.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    15

    Default Registered kitchen.

    I'm a cake decorator. Does anyone know if you can register your home kitchen in New Zealand?
    If not i wonder where i can find a kitchen to rent.

    I'm not there yet but i'm thinking ahead

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Inland Canterbury, NZ
    Posts
    8,390

    Default

    Hi there,

    I make cheese and had hoped to make it at home to sell at the many farmer's markets around Canterbury.

    However, I hit a wall when I was told that I'd need a kitchen that complies with commercial regs. I thought that surely Farmer's markets wouldn't make me stick to these expensive and extensive regs as I believed them to be by local folk, homemade jams and sponges etc, but many do - in fact they usually clearly state they need to see proof that that product (other than something that's been grown - i.e anything that's been baked or prepared in a kitchen) was prepared in a commerical kitchen before they will allow you to sell at the market.

    I had a huge, drawn out argument with the health/safety people about this. Basically, it boiled down to if you were, say, decorating a cake to sell at a charity/school event, that's fine - but not for sale to general public - you would have had to ice it in a commercial environment.

    In my case, that mean commercial work surfaces/flooring/drainage and what REALLY got me.. disabled access. Now don't get me wrong - this would be a commercial kitchen in MY home that I intend to use myself - why must I go through the expense of making it suitable for a disabled person to use (pls don't think me coldhearted, I'm not, to me it just doesn't make sense).

    Oh and it must be in a room that is separated by at least one door from main living areasbathrooms and isn't your everyday home kitchen!

    Now, I did ask around regarding commercial kitchens locally - but I live rurally so options are limited. Schools don't have kitchens. The local pub I wouldn't want to cook in (!) and I did get an offer to use the local bakery but conditions (too much yeast around for cheese making because of their bread baking) weren't conducive. Plus, most willl want to charge you for the use so you'd have to then work that into your margins etc.

    Sorry, have rambled. I was gutted at the time as I quite fancied passing my days up to my elbows in warm curds.

    Ask away if you have more questions, it was a couple of years ago now that I was going through this so might need memory jogged.
    Last edited by Moorf; 7th July 2009 at 04:42 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Inland Canterbury, NZ
    Posts
    8,390

    Default

    Ooops, forgot link to one of my local market stall application notes:

    http://www.lyttelton.net.nz/lfm/docu...ketCharter.pdf

    MARKET REQUIREMENTS
    Certificates
     All vendors are advised they should consider Public Liability insurance
    except small scale home suppliers
     If produce is organic the market management would like proof of
    certification
     Any alcohol suppliers will need a Special License from Council
     Documentation of the use of commercial kitchen that you operate from
    if selling secondary products

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    370

    Default

    It's an old link, but the idea is still applicable:

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-fa...-176509460.htm

    Before even looking it up, I'd have suggested researching the minimal criteria for a registered kitchen and seeing whether they could be met in a garden shed arrangement (disabled access not a problem if you're on grade). Buy the appliances second-hand and your initial outlay would be minimal.

    Obviously, this is feasible if requirements can be met in a trailer. Wonder how they provide disabled access (a stow-away ramp, perhaps).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Inland Canterbury, NZ
    Posts
    8,390

    Default

    I went through the whole rigmarole with the local council people about setting up a trailer (so I could then make and transport cheese in one environment specially set up and take it to market etc).. I was going to call it Wheely Nice Cheese but, unbelievably, was told that yes it would still need disabled access - I said but it will only be ME making the cheese and no-one else needs access... yada yada yada.. but no... not good enough.. and then there was plumbing and waste disposal issues... I gave up.. everywhere was a roadblock.

    If you get anywhere, please let me know. Not that I can afford all the resort consent, building permits blah blah to get a commercial kitchen passed for inspection... but it's been a dream of mine for ages. Perhaps I just got a "jobsworth".

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Manchester > Now Tauranga
    Posts
    4,393

    Default

    I feel your pain. Not NZ related, but to make you feel better in the Ul we had to get a sink dropped in our work 'brew' area so that a disabled person could wash up from their wheelchair. We don't have any disabled people in the office. We were also told that we weren't allowed out shower as it wasn't disabled accessible. Again, not sure how many wheelchair disabled people would want to cycle in and then get showered.. And whilst I accept that the sink was an issue then there were mitigating issues. Mainly none of us wash up as the cleaner collects the mugs and puts them in the dishwasher. Therefore seemed a bit harsh making the wheelchair user wash their own mug when no-one else does, and I've twice scalded myself trying to pour boiling water from the kettle into a cup 2' off the floor when I'm 6'4".

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    15

    Default

    WOW!
    i have some things to look into then.
    My friend offered me her dad's kitchen but they live in huntly and i'm not sure where we'll end up at this stage.
    The kitchen is in a church and is registered.
    so that could be another idea for those who are looking. maybe a church might have one???

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Waikato
    Posts
    1,785

    Default

    That sounds a nightmare! I have a friend in the UK who set up her own cake baking business and had to get her kitchen approved but there wasn't anything particularly onerous to it all as far as I recall. Hope you can find a way round it Moorf; NZ needs cheese.

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