A cooking school can be a wonderful small business.
If you have a talent for cooking, a knack for teaching and the desire to be an entrepreneur -- then a cooking school might be a good business for you. Bringing culinary instruction to North Carolina is a relatively simple process, if you're starting small, because the state is flexible about small, home-based food businesses. But if you want a substantial cooking school business, you must be prepared to develop not only an interesting curriculum, but to meet the legal requirements of maintaining a commercial kitchen in North Carolina.
Instructions
1. Decide what kind of cooking you want to teach. Specialties such as international cuisines, pastry and even family quick-meals can help distinguish you and attract specific consumers looking for your type of cooking course.
2. Determine the scope and scale for your school. An in-home school with small, personalized classes doesn't need any special licensing or approval. However, if you rent commercial space, you'll need a commercial kitchen. Even though you may not be selling your cooking, the state cares about the cleanliness and safety of a commercial kitchen.
3. Select a location for your cooking school. Consider both geographical markets such as Chapel Hill or Raleigh-Durham, as well as the size and visibility of your school. Looking at locations with commercial kitchens already installed can save you significant time and expense, although this may mean working in either a retail (former restaurant or bakery) or commercial warehouse-type space.
4. Apply to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a commercial kitchen license. In addition to completing an application and paying the appropriate fees, be prepared for an inspector to visit your kitchen to ensure it meets the required code conditions before you receive your permit.
5. Apply for a local business permit. In cities like Chapel Hill, Charlotte and Raleigh, apply through the City Hall. In rural areas, check with your township and your county for any necessary business licensing.
6. Develop a marketing plan for your new venture. Decide on your target demographic, message and the media you'll use to convey that message. You can advertise for free using school and community center bulletin boards or you can go "big" and advertise in local and culinary-interest media. Depending on your intended scale and budget, you can ponder hiring a marketing consultant to help you strategize.
7. Purchase or lease your equipment, cookware and dishes. Unless your school is home-based, you'll need large, commercial-grade equipment which, depending on your intended style of cuisine, can include: electric mixers; ovens; ranges; wood-fired ovens; woks; rice cookers; pressure cookers; convection ovens; microwaves; industrial-sized bowls and baking pans. Commercial restaurant equipment businesses have all of these items, although you may find deals looking online and in professional publications for used equipment.
Tags: commercial kitchen, North Carolina, cooking school, your school, Chapel Hill, your cooking