Here’s How to Rent a Commercial Kitchen in Los Angeles

Is your New Year’s resolution to start a new food business? Then you need to know how to rent a commercial kitchen in the greater Los Angeles area. 

That can be a daunting task without some direction – there are lots of details to be covered. Here is a six-phase approach to finding the right commercial kitchen for you. 

Phase 1: Assess Your Needs

You must decide what you are going to do before you can decide where to do it. Is this a test of a new concept, or an entry into commercial production? 

Ask yourself what the anticipated production volume will be once you get up and running. What is it going to take to make that happen? What type of equipment do you need? How much space? How many staff members are going to be working at the same time? 

In short, you need a business plan, including proof of financial viability through revenue projections, and operational strategy. That’s typically required as part of a lease, but it also allows you to narrow down your needs. Can you accomplish your goal by sharing a commercial kitchen with other chefs, do you need time in a prep kitchen or are you looking for a full private kitchen as a base for your catering, delivery or food truck business? 

Now you can research kitchen types in and around Los Angeles – and there are several. There are ghost kitchens in industrial areas, shared-use kitchens catering to communal cooking experiences, commissary kitchens geared to large-scale food production and private kitchens allowing total operational control. Some facilities offer more than one type of kitchen – Partake Collective offers all levels of operation. 

Phase 2: Certify Your Operation

It won’t do any good to rent a kitchen if you aren’t a certified business (and kitchen facilities won’t rent to you if you’re not certified). This means getting the documentation showing you are a legal business, and required food service certification. 

Almost all municipalities require a business license to operate. That, in turn, requires an Employer Identification Number (EIN, which is a type of business Social Security number) from the IRS and registration of a fictitious business name if operating under a name different than the owner’s legal name. 

General liability insurance is non-negotiable – no one will rent you a kitchen without it. If you have employees, you have to have workers’ compensation insurance, too. 

Maybe the most critical certifications are connected to handling food. The state of California requires that every business has someone with a Certified Food Protection Manager certificate. And every employee must get a Food Handler Card within 30 days of being hired. These are key every time a health inspection is conducted. 

Phase 3: Find Your Kitchen

Now it’s time to do some comparison shopping. There are two primary sources for lists of licensed kitchen rental facilities in the area – The Kitchen Door and Kitchen Space Rentals. Internet and Artificial Intelligence searches also generate options. 

Decide what’s important to you, and filter your choices by those conditions – location, pricing, amenities, and kitchen type. Once your list has been narrowed down, it’s time to reach out. 

A phone call or a visit to the facility’s website will provide more information. But nothing is as efficient as physical inspection of kitchen spaces, where important questions are answered. 

How new is the equipment? What sort of dry storage is available? How about refrigerator space? Is that part of the rent, or is it an additional charge? What equipment do you need to provide to get your job done and what comes with the kitchen? 

During your tour, ask lots of questions. Does the facility hold current health department approval? How are shared facilities scheduled? Are there hours of operation, or can you use the facility 24/7? 

Once you’ve toured your top three or five kitchen facilities, sit down and complete a pros-versus-cons comparison. Different kitchens do things differently, so do your best to boil things down to an apples-to-apples comparison. 

Phase 4: Do Your Due Diligence

Before you sign a lease agreement, whether its for a few hours a month in a shared space or a year-long lease on a private kitchen, sit down and read the fine print. If you have a lawyer friend or a real estate in-law, take advantage. 

Check to see if there are renewal options. Can you sublease if circumstances change? Is the landlord responsible for all maintenance and repair, including equipment, plumbing, electricity? What separate charges are there in addition to the lease payment? Are utilities included in the rent? 

If possible, a conversation or two with current tenants will give you a handle on how management treats them – and would likely treat you. 

Phase 5: Signing Your Lease

If you’ve completed Phase 4 diligently, this should be quick. This is where you negotiate to get the best deal possible. 

Showing you will be a stable, long-term tenant might be enough to earn a discount on the rent. Signing a longer-term lease usually means a lower hourly rate. Are there discounts available for working during off-peak hours? 

Does the lease include all the promises made during the original tour, or do they need to be negotiated too? If not, either get them added or assume they no longer apply. 

Remember that payment for the first month (and sometime the last, as well) is required. 

Phase 6: It’s Your Go Time

Before you start cooking, there are a couple more steps. Most important is the Health Permit Application Process. 

First there’s an application to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. You will be applying for a Tenant Food Operator (TFO) permit. This acknowledges that the kitchen facility holds the primary food facility and you operate as a sub-permittee. 

File it quickly after signing the lease – the department requires three to five days to process it before scheduling the inspection. 

Even if you are sharing a kitchen space, there will be a physical inspection to show how you are going to operate. Be sure all equipment is installed, utilities operational and space fully prepared for food production. 

Pass the inspection and you get a permit saying you can legally begin cooking. It’s go time! 

Last Phase: Check Us Out

I hope these tips help ease your journey to a fulfilling and successful career in the food industry. We’re happy to provide it, primarily because we believe that ចូលរួមសមូហភាព compares favorably to any Los Angeles area operation. 

Tours of both Partake locations are available. Partake Long Beach is at 456 Elm Ave. Partake Los Angeles (Glassell Park) is at 3716 Eagle Rock Blvd. To book a tour, go to partakecollective.com/book-a-tour. 

© Partake Collective 2025