S . DEATHERAGE S . DEATHERAGE
Don Talbott , a retired pastry chef , enjoys making and selling his homemade baked goods , such as apple fritter bread .
The ease of creating food at home appeals to many cottage cooks , such as Don Talbott , who started his business , Delectables by Chef Don , after moving to Bryan four years ago . He retired from his position as an executive pastry chef at casinos throughout the central U . S ., in charge of producing enough baked goods to fill a 15,000-square-foot shop . He says he found his own kitchen to be a less complicated option for his Bryan business . “ It gave me the chance to make what I like and be where I like ,” he explains . In his two ovens , he makes sweet and sourdough breads , flaky croissants , hefty cinnamon rolls , and gourmet cookies to sell at the farmers ’ market .
But a cottage operation can only go so far . Home cooks cannot sell food that requires high or low temperatures , such as meat or dairy , according to the DSHS website . They must also sell and deliver directly to consumers through ordering or farmers ’ markets , and their business ’ s annual gross income must be less than $ 50,000 , according to the DSHS website . If a food business falls outside these parameters , they must operate in a commercial kitchen . Such a kitchen , however , can be expensive , particularly for a business startup .
Beyond the Cottage
Enter the shared-use kitchen . These spaces provide healthdepartment-certified commercial facilities for multiple food entrepreneurs to rent rather than making the financial commitment of purchasing their own kitchen , says Isabel McPartlin , owner of the shareduse Renegade Bakery and Culinary Studio in Bryan .
A shared-use kitchen “ is the next logical step if you want to build a business around your food ,” she says . Although her kitchen ’ s seven tenants sell directly to consumers — similar to cottage food businesses — their access to commercial facilities gives them a better opportunity to expand , she says . insitebrazosvalley . com 21