SAN DIEGO -

Local cooks who have informally produced food to sell in their neighborhood will soon be able to do so with the blessing of San Diego County, under an ordinance that authorizes them to sell freshly cooked meals from home kitchens.

On Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance that allows micro-businesses to sell up to 30 take-out meals a day or 60 a week, and sets out food safety conditions they must meet.

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“We have a unique opportunity to boost non-traditional food entrepreneurs at a really difficult time for many,” said Supervisor Nora Vargas. “These entrepreneurs represent an informal economy that has been present in our community for decades. But during the pandemic we saw more and more of these ventures appear in our communities.”

Known as Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations, or MEHKOs, the small businesses are already operating unofficially. In 2018, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 626, which establishes state rules to legalize their operations.

Since then, the program has been adopted by eight other California counties, including Riverside. In September, supervisors Nora Vargas and Joel Anderson proposed introducing a MEHKO program here.

Starting a home-based food business helps many families make ends meet, and provides a low-cost first step toward launching more expensive businesses like food trucks or brick-and-mortar restaurants, supporters said.

On Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to authorize the program temporarily for two years, allowing one home cooking business per residence. On January 26, the program will be approved, which will be reviewed in two years.

Under the new rules, cooks who want to open home cooking businesses must obtain a food safety certificate, pass an inspection at the start and once a year thereafter, and prepare, cook and serve the food on the same day.

Other regulations prohibit them from producing or serving raw dairy products or raw oysters, as well as working as caterers or event providers, and specify conditions for food storage and testing of well water.

Some speakers raised concerns that small food delivery businesses could jeopardize the success of local restaurants, but supervisors said the low sales cap would prevent that.

“People get quality food from their neighbors,” Anderson said. “Most MEHKOS attract people from a handful of kilometers from home. Because the cap is so low, they don't compete with restaurants in any way."

Roya Bagheri, executive director of The COOK Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for home cooking entrepreneurs, said the organization expects to see 100 to 200 home cooking businesses operating within the first year, saying they can sell meals from various cultural traditions, ranging from soul food to traditional Mexican dishes and Asian cuisines. There are even new dishes for adventurous eaters, she said, citing a home chef who makes Japanese-Mexican fusion food like Birria Ramen.

"We've become a very culinary city in general," Bagheri said. “I think this show is going to really fit in and elevate the cuisine available. In addition to being an incredible economic opportunity for entrepreneurs, because the barriers to entering the food industry in a traditional way are very high."

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