Permissions required to provide food for parties and special occasions????

[Jhc]

I put this query on this forum as some of you chambre d'hote members may already be doing what I would ideally like to do.  A friend and I would like to cook occasional meals for up to 20 people for special occasions (e.g. there are lots of 60th and 70th Birthday parties in our area and our initial soundings are that there would be lots of potential customers who want an alternative to cooking themselves or going to restaurant).  We do not want to do it to 'earn a living', just as extra 'pin' money  during the winter when not busy with gites.  We would probably only do a  max of 2 parties a month for 5 or 6 months and could provide centrally heated pleasant gite for venue or take food to customers own home.  Customers could bring/provide their own alcohol perhaps.

Whilst I am happy to declare any income so earned on my tax form, my biggest worry is what permissions/permits/licences/registration would be necessary in order to do this?  Clearly if it is too much hassle and entails major expense to set up then we will forget the whole idea. 

We do already know of a chambre d'hote that does something similar but to our mind they are not doing it entirely legally as they provide meals for customers to the total number they could accommodate if their chambre d'hote rooms were taken - even though the customers do not stay for the night.  We only wish to do it if we can find the fully legal route.  Any advice from anyone already doing this or who has explored the idea themselves would be greatly appreciated.

[Miki]

To put it bluntly, unless you are registered as cooking food for the general public, then it is not legal.

You of course could open a table d'hôtes and feed your guests but what

you cannot do is open to the public who are not staying in one your

rooms.

All CdH's offering meals to guests must also carry insurance to cover

problems ( illnesses !) arising from those guests eating your food.

So basically, you may well see CdH's offering food elsewhere but the

name they give being CdH does not always mean they are not registered

as hotel/resto but simply that they are calling themselves the more

"quiant" name of B&B (CdH) If they are British and doing it, then

sory but my bet is that they are doing it illegally as the cotisations

for such a business, as ever, are quite high.

No such thing really as earning pin money here in this style of affair,

the French will see that as taking "food" (scuse the pun) from the

mouths of the restos and traiteurs who are registered.

[Cerise]

Quite right Miki - we are not allowed to do it.  However, locally the great and good (including the local head of tourism) regularly eat out in the winter at the various chambres d'hotes in the region.   I don't really want to get involved in this as I cook quite enough when we have guests and in the quieter times like to invite my own friends to dinner.  However, I have been asked several times to provide meals for local associations - and the impression I get is that I am one of the very few NOT doing it.  It may not be legal, but it sure as heck is happening a lot in this area at least.

What I did do last year a couple of times for acquaintances in the quiet period was to do a meal and then let them have a reduced rate for B & B - thus ensuring that I was providing a meal for 'clients' and they didn't have to drink and drive.   They were happy to pay and provided a legal solution for everybody - as well as bit of out of season business for me.