Monterey County’s home kitchen program opens new opportunities Through MEHKO, pastry chef turns passion into successful business

| FEATURES

By Luis G. González Imbert
Photos by Isaac González Díaz

Yana Todorova was already an accomplished engineer, certified yoga teacher, pastry chef and mother of triplets when a new state program offered the possibility of reaching another goal: continuing her passion for baking after relocating to Monterey County.

Todorova moved to Marina from Bakersfield in 2023, and she wanted to continue her pastry business, Todorovi Boutique Desserts, which specializes in French-inspired desserts, pastries and chocolates. She also offers private chef services and was the first person in Monterey County to get a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations permit, according to the Monterey County Health Bureau.

California’s recent legislative milestones — AB 626, AB 1975, and AB 1644 — form the foundation of a growing movement to create equitable economic opportunities through Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO). These laws aim to create a clear, regulated pathway for thousands of home cooks — many of them women, immigrants, and first‑time entrepreneurs — to transform their kitchens into small businesses. Yet laws alone don’t put equipment in kitchens, pay permit fees or provide business training. 

In the past, California’s regulations under the California Retail Food Code mandated that food sold to consumers had to be prepared in inspected commercial kitchens. However, a significant change came in 2013 with the introduction of the California Homemade Food Act, also known as “Cottage Food Operations.”

This legislation permitted certain low-risk food products, such as bread, pie, fruit jam and dried foods, to be made in private home kitchens and sold to consumers under specific conditions. As one of MEHKO operational cornerstones, cooks are encouraged to use their home kitchen, where food is stored, handled, prepared and potentially served to consumers onsite. 

The county’s environmental health bureau is in charge of the MEHKO program’s permitting, inspection and outreach efforts. 

América León, one of the seven environmental health specialists who oversees MEHKO, said the biggest hurdles for home cooks applying to the program include menu restrictions based on food safety risks, navigating septic and water systems in unincorporated areas, and understanding the application process. To help address  these complexities, the county provides bilingual support and makes sure that applicants understand their options, especially if further testing or documentation is required.

The MEHKO permit application usually takes about two weeks to process, though it can be longer, depending on individual kitchen setups and water systems, León said. The annual cost is around $650, and operators must also complete a certified food safety manager course.

The process was straightforward for Todorova — no major kitchen changes were needed, and within a month she was approved. Todorova has been interested in cooking since her childhood, when she helped her mother and grandmother. “Cooking is my passion,” she said. 

Food was the center of family gatherings while growing up in her native Bulgaria. When she turned 17, she moved to the city of Puebla in Mexico to pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer engineering at the Universidad de las Americas Puebla. She later moved to Texas for her Ph.D. in computer science at Texas Tech University. There she met her husband, and started cooking from scratch, then creating her own recipes. She wrote blogs and contributed to local magazines, using social gatherings as test runs for her menus while having a good time entertaining guests.

Attending Le Cordon Blue Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok, Thailand, was Todorova’s original dream after graduating. But she and her husband moved to Bakersfield to teach at Cal State University. They welcomed their triplets and settled in their new home as life went by. Yet Todorova’s dream of attending culinary school lingered. Once her children were old enough to enjoy seeing a new country, she took her entire family to Thailand to fulfill her dream of studying at Le Cordon Blue Dusit. 

In 2019, she established Todorovi Boutique Desserts, featuring all sorts of French-leaning treats, contemporary Neapolitan pizzas and organic sourdough bread. 

As a business owner, she likes the opportunity to set her own schedule and express her creativity and personality. In Bakersfield, Todorova started selling pastries from her home, and later began leasing space in a commercial kitchen. She likes the flexibility that comes from owning her business. 

According to Monterey County’s Environmental Health Bureau, 18 MEHKO permits have been granted in the county, and roughly five more applications are under review.

The Monterey County Business Council worked in collaboration with the county health department, organizing and leading community workshops. These collaborations are setting the foundation for continuing the mission and vision of MEKHO.

“We had to be intentional about doing outreach to historically underserved communities and as well as minority women and the LGBTQ community about doing outreach,” said José Luis Barajas, Monterey County Business Council program manager. “We are very cognizant of our community; we want them to feel OK.” 

Genevieve LeBlanc, senior policy lead, food systems for Blue Zones Project Monterey County, said MEHKO “is a great way for small entrepreneurs to launch their business in a formal way. My longer vision is that some of those small micro enterprises provide culturally relevant and healthy food for the community, kind of ‘food is medicine’ for the community.”

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