The COOK Alliance is a nonprofit working to legitimize and support informal home cooking businesses…
…so that culinary entrepreneurship is accessible to all, particularly caregivers, and First time business owners.
We legalized the first home restaurants by passing Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) laws in California and are now expanding opportunities and resources for these small businesses.
Vision
We envision a world in which home-based culinary entrepreneurs, particularly from low-income communities, have meaningful, low-barrier opportunities to earn reliable income and expand access to fresh, affordable meals.
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
We’re the COOK Alliance: a coalition of home cooks, parents, community builders, educators, advocates, policymakers, and small business owners.
Our Work
Advancing Advocacy
We champion the legitimization of home cooking businesses, encourage regulations that promote healthy food access, and work with environmental health departments for effective MEHKO support.
Building Businesses
We empower MEHKOs by providing wrap-around business education, operational resources, and funding to support culinary entrepreneurs with starting their small businesses.
Cultivating Community
We promote awareness of MEHKOs among the public and aspiring home cooks, facilitate the discovery of MEHKOs in their local areas, and foster community connections between culinary entrepreneurs.
Developing Data
We track the progress and expansion of the MEHKO movement, utilizing focus groups, surveys, and partnerships with academic institutions to gain comprehensive insights into the evolving needs.
Our People:
The Entrepreneur
Legalizing home cooking lowers the barrier to entry for food entrepreneurship and brings previously informal businesses into the legal economy.
The At Home Parent
Home cooking gives parents an accessible income opportunity that meets them where they are, works around their schedule, & lets them prioritize family values.
The Community Pillar
Home cooking helps long-time local residents earn income from their homes while offering new neighbors warm food & welcome.
The Newcomer
Home cooking gives newcomers a stable source of income and lets families share their cultural food traditions.
Home cooking doesn’t just provide healthier food access and strengthen community fabric.
It helps us remember that we’re all in this together.
Home cooking reminds us that the everyday burdens, big & small, don't need to be shouldered alone.
We believe that in moments of uncertainty or loneliness, it’s important to know that somewhere nearby, there’s a seat at a table, in a warmly lit kitchen, filled with the smells of home cooked food.