renting space to a pastry chef

[W.DeBord]

Breadster, I hope my comments haven't pushed you away from renting out and working with a pasrty chef? Are you changing your idea?

[breadster]

WdB- it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to scare so easily esp. after what i'd written to you - however, it does give me pause- as well as realize i'd better define my needs and address someone elses b4 plunging in-

actually my mind has been elsewhere the last few weeks- i got flooded really badly at both my home and store (luckily not too bad at the store-everything was high off the ground-- i learned that a few years back) and then again this past Saturday from the flash flood storms we've been having-

what a mess! plus losing like 30 years of my past and most all mementos of my parents

doing all of the paperwork etc for the insurance for both places is a nightmare but soooo important- it will take out some of the sting

anybody need convincing on the importance of good insurance coverage?

[momoreg]

That's sad news. I hope you recover quickly, as best as you can.

[W.DeBord]

Wow, sorry to hear that! I saw some photos on the news showing underpasses that were flooded, twice this month right?...but I never saw anything like that in my area, nothing much happened in the nw burbs....I shall count my blessings for now.

[Kimmie]

I've seen that too. Sorry Breadster. Anyone else affected by those floods? Shroom maybe?

[W.DeBord]

I saw the floods AGAIN this week on the news, I can't beleive this.... I sure hope you got spared this time Breadster!??

[breadster]

thanks everyone for your kind words- i got spared from the latest flood thank goodness- im still working on the clean up from flood #2!

[Risque Cakes]

Originally Posted by breadster

it appears i have the perfect group to discuss this with-

i have a bakery that sells high end product wholesale, mail order and retail- we are expanding our pastry line but cannot devote the kind of time, energy, staff and learning curve to sell the kind of voluptuous tortes i want to do- that includes wedding cakes-

i am considering renting space during our off hours to a pastry chef who may be looking for a space

what would the pastry chef be looking for?
what kind of scenario do you think would work for both parties?

i wouldnt have a problem with the pastry chef having his own clients and orders

but i would want "him" available to me when i needed him

if one of my customers wanted a wedding cake i could turn him over directly to the p. chef
but i would want a percentage of the sale

i would collect a monthly rent, which would include all utilities and work/storage space, and use of all equipment- he would have to leave the space clean for the next shift....

he would have to supply own ingredients, containers, telephone.....

when i was starting out, i rented space from a pizza parlor and a caterer, and all is not rosy- it can be a tough scenario- but it also can work

how would the p. chef be paid for working on my products - free lance rate, special negotiated rate?

all you pastry chefs out there who want to go on your own- imagine you lived in Chicago and this opportunity came up- what would you want - how could we make this work?

my pennies worth:

I found a place and set it up as a bakery. One of my CHEF/INSTRUCTORS had some accounts that he needed to service but had no place to do them from.

I'm NOT a morning person unless I just stay away all night through morn...he was a bright and early person. This scheduled worked for us.

I let him come in from whatever time ( he had keys ) he could make it but had to be cleaning up by 11:30 because I'd get there to start by noon as I only make custom cakes by appointment.

We shared the cooler, freezer, oven and BASIC supplies, like flour sugar, eggs and butter...anything else he wanted to use HE had to bring in. He had his own storage area in the bake shop.

I charged him 10% of my rent.

We also did entirely different products, but we complimented each other, if one of my clients needed cookies or pastries (even though I knew how to make them, ) I gave him the order, if one of his clients needed aTheme cake or wedding cake, he gave me the order even though he too could make them.

I stayed out of his way when he was working the kitchen and he stayed out of my way.

Then I tried to work the same arrangement out with a COOKIE person and it fell apart before it even started.

This young lady, from what I gathered, made cute cookies...so we worked out a deal for her to pay 50% of the rent, (I was taking her in as a sort of partner and even going to share a delivery man) So I give her an order...we had been talking about this order for a few weeks and about a week before my cake was due, I confirmed her order. I got such a run around from her. She kept changing her delivery times, I even waited till MIDNIGHT in my shop the night before the order was due to head out...she was doing the same with the deposits, First month's rent as security.

I even gave her the absolute last time that I could wait for her to bring the cookies to the shop , I told her that my driver was going to leave at 6 AM sharp...the cake was going from Miami Beach to Daytona...a 4 hour drive and it had to be in place at 1 pm sharp for the luncheon by 7 am the cake was gone and she shows up 30 minutes later and wanted to see if he could turn around.

I told her to take her cookies and SIT ON THEM!

So, I haven't rented space to anyone since...but been considering as I am in need of motivation..lol