— you already cook. let it pay you.

Your kitchen.
Your recipes.
Your schedule.

Mehko is California's home-cook marketplace — built on the state's MEHKO law (Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation). Get licensed, list your menu, and cook when you want. We handle the rest.

Start my application → See what I could earn
0%Platform fee · first 50 cooks
~15 minTo finish your application
100%Of tips go to you
— meet Carmen, she's been cooking this recipe for 40 years
Last month
$2,847
cooking Sunday tamales
Cooking since
Carmen, 1984
Oaxacan · Cardiff
how much you could make

The numbers, honestly.

California MEHKO law caps a home kitchen at 30 meals per day, 90 per week, and $100K gross revenue per year. Here's what that looks like in practice.

Weekend warrior

Cook 1 day a week
$400–900
per weekend · $20–40K/yr
  • One batch day, one pickup window
  • Good fit for a side income
  • Most cooks start here
  • Test before going bigger

Part-time cook

3–4 days a week
$1,200–2,000
per week · $50–80K/yr
  • Lunch or dinner pickup window
  • Your own hours, your own menu
  • Replace a part-time job
  • Keep your day job if you want

Full MEHKO

5–6 days · at the cap
~$100K
per year · MEHKO legal cap
  • Daily service, full menu
  • Your kitchen becomes your business
  • Ready to scale to a restaurant
  • We help you grow past MEHKO if needed
— actuals vary by county, cuisine, and pricing. We'll help you model yours during onboarding.
the path from here to cooking

Four steps. Most cooks are live in 3–6 weeks.

Most of that time is waiting on your county's health department for the MEHKO permit. We walk you through each step.

01

Apply in 15 minutes

Tell us about your kitchen, your cuisine, and a few dishes you'd like to sell. We'll review and get back to you within 48 hours.

02

Get your MEHKO permit

We send you a step-by-step guide for your county. Pass the health inspection. Typical cost: $350–650 for the permit + food handler's card.

03

Set up your kitchen page

Upload photos, price your menu, choose your pickup hours. We'll review and help you dial in pricing based on what sells in your area.

04

Start cooking

Orders come in through our app. You cook on your schedule, neighbors pick up from your door. Payouts weekly to your bank.

you cook. we do everything else.

Here's the split.

Mehko handles

— so you don't have to
  • Payments & weekly payouts to your bank
  • Getting your kitchen in front of neighbors
  • Your MEHKO permit application walkthrough
  • Customer support, refunds, and disputes
  • Tax docs at year-end (1099-NEC)
  • Menu photography help for your first 5 dishes
  • Insurance partnerships if you want one

You handle

— the parts that matter
  • Your recipes, your prices, your schedule
  • Shopping for ingredients (keep the receipts for taxes)
  • Cooking the food
  • Handing off orders at pickup
  • Replying to customer questions (in-app chat)
  • Keeping your kitchen clean for inspections
real cooks · real kitchens

People like you are already doing this.

I was cooking the same Sunday meal for my family for 30 years. Now I cook double and half goes to the neighborhood. Best thing that happened to my retirement.

Maria L.
Oaxacan · Cardiff, CA
$2,847 last month

I quit Uber Eats driving last fall. Made more in 6 Saturdays on Mehko than I did the whole month in my car. And I was home.

Diego R.
Peruvian · Encinitas, CA
$1,620 last month

I'm a nurse, I cook on weekends. The extra $2K a month goes straight to my daughter's college fund. My mom taught me these recipes — feels right to pass them on.

Fatou D.
Senegalese · Escondido, CA
$2,180 last month
the questions everyone asks

Is this actually legal?

Short answer: yes, in California. Here are the longer ones.

Is selling food from my home actually legal?
Yes — in California counties that have opted into the MEHKO law (AB 626, 2018). You need a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation permit from your local health department. We walk you through it. Today, MEHKO is fully operational in San Diego County. Orange County and Los Angeles County are coming soon — we're taking applications now so you're ready the moment they turn it on.
What does a MEHKO permit cost?
Typically $350–650 depending on your county, plus a ~$15 food handler's certificate. One-time health inspection of your kitchen. Annual renewal is usually $150–300.
How much does Mehko take?
0% platform fee for our first 50 cooks — you keep 100% of every order while we're getting off the ground. Standard platform fee will be announced before we onboard cook #51. No subscription, no listing fees, no hidden charges. You see the exact breakdown on every order.
What are the MEHKO limits I need to know?
California MEHKO law caps you at 30 meals per day, 90 meals per week, and $100K gross revenue per year. Food must be cooked in your home of residence and sold direct to the end customer (no wholesale, no caterers). You can cook any cuisine. If you outgrow MEHKO, we help you transition to a commercial kitchen or restaurant model.
Do I need insurance?
MEHKO doesn't require insurance, but we strongly recommend it. We partner with home-kitchen-friendly carriers (starting around $25/mo) — you can add it during onboarding, or your existing homeowner's policy may have a rider option. Not a requirement to start.
Do I have to deliver?
No. Mehko is pickup-only by default, which is how MEHKO law is written. Customers come to your door during the window you set. Some cooks add delivery later through third-party couriers — that's your call.
What if I don't speak English fluently?
Many of our best cooks are first-generation immigrants. Our app supports Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Mandarin. Your cook coach at Mehko speaks one of those if you'd prefer. Recipes don't need translating.
How do I get paid?
Payouts hit your bank account every Monday via Stripe. You can see the breakdown per order — subtotal, platform fee, tips (100% to you), taxes remitted. No minimum payout, no fees on the payout itself. If you prefer cash-only, we also support that — order placed in-app, cash handed over at pickup.
— ready when you are

Your abuela's tamales deserve
a wider table.

15 minutes to apply. We'll review within 48 hours. If we're a fit, we help you get your permit, set up your page, and start cooking — usually within 4–6 weeks.

Start my application → Talk to a cook coach first
No credit card. No commitment. Just a conversation.