So, you want to start a side hustle?
Love to cook or bake and want to make money for it? It’s easier than you might think.
Side hustle culture is thriving. Glassdoor identified side hustles as a key worklife trend of 2025 based on data from a Harris Poll. Forbes referenced the same data just last week, reporting that nearly 6 in 10 Gen Z workers have side hustles and are “channeling their energy into passion projects, freelance gigs and entrepreneurial ventures outside of traditional employment.”
Influencers on TikTok and Instagram are constantly proving to us that it’s possible to pursue your passions - and turn them into successful businesses - alongside a full time job. Food content creators are a great example.
When he’s not buried in spreadsheets, Crust By Carson bakes sourdough and takes his followers along on his marathon training runs.
Before her “DIML as a private chef in the Hamptons” TikToks, Meredith Hayden was working in Ad Sales and Marketing for Condé Nast and taking classes at a culinary school across the street at night.
Don’t just take our word for it. Tons of Hotplate droppers started their businesses as side hustles. Tad from Tiger Bagel, Erin & Maddie from Betty Jo’s Ice Cream, and DJ from Handsy Pies are just a few examples.
If you love to cook and want to start a side hustle selling food, get the juices flowing by asking yourself these 5 questions:
What do I want to make?
Pick something you love to cook or bake. Maybe it’s a dish that friends always beg you to bring or a recipe you’ve perfected that your family raves about. Keep it simple by sticking to one product or concept, especially as you’re getting started. A hero product helps people remember you.
Deciding what you’ll make is also important because different places have different restrictions about what foods you can make and sell from home.
What makes me and my food stand out?
Is it a unique take on a classic? Something that’s hard to find in your area? How do you want people to describe you and your food, and why should they tell their friends about it?
Is there a personal story behind your passion that’s a big part of your brand? Maybe you’re using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients or employing a special technique that makes for the most amazing texture.
Whatever it is, it’s important to think about what makes you unique. This is what helps define your personal brand.
What’s my goal?
Do you have a specific sales target? Or is your primary goal to get better at making bagels and bring in some extra cash on the side?
How much time and energy do I realistically have?
What bandwidth do you have outside of your main job and personal life? Take a look at your calendar and map out what your ideal week would look like.
Who would be my first customers, and how will I reach them?
Think of the people who will hype you up and help spread the word. This can be family, friends, neighbors, co-workers.
You don’t need to have all the details mapped out when you’re just getting started, but being clear on the things above will allow you to execute and learn quickly.
Finding a system that helps your run your business - and not letting it run you - is what we’re all about here at Hotplate.
As the LA Times put it, “Hotplate is setting you up to be your own boss.”
Here are the basics you need to know as you get going:
Kickstarting from your kitchen
Many people think that selling food is reserved for restaurants and professional chefs, but these days, it’s easier than ever to start a food business from home. Every state allows some form of home food business and has simple online processes to get you started.
Getting a Cottage Food License
If you’re cooking out of your own kitchen, the proper way to make sure your business is up to local health codes is to apply for a Cottage Food License. The rules and regulations for these vary from state to state and even between counties, but applications are usually easy and cheap. Start your search by Googling “Cottage Food Operators + COUNTY”. These applications are usually managed by the county’s health department – for example, here’s the Cottage License homepage for Los Angeles County in California.
Pre-orders = more flexibility
When you think of a traditional food business, you’re probably picturing a brick and mortar shop that’s stocked with inventory every day. Your cooking side hustle can take a different route: pre-orders only. Start with one cooking day a week and allow your customers to pre order your goods for pickup during a specific window. This is how you maximize profits of your side hustle by preparing only what you’ve already sold, saving time and money.
Designing a menu
Don’t overthink it. Pick one or two items that you make really well and stick to those. Take eye catching photos and videos of your food to post on your ordering site and social media pages.
Hotplate for orders and payments
There are a lot of tools and softwares out there to help you accept payments from customers, but only Hotplate is specifically designed for smaller scale food businesses operating on a pre order model. We make it super easy to post menus so your customers can order in just a few clicks. Then, we compile prep and pack lists for you to help pickup days go super smoothly. Minimal effort on your part means less time spent on admin work for your side hustle.
Check out what the LA Times had to say about us here.
Growing your customer base
You only need a few loyal customers to bring in some extra cash from this side hustle, so focus on getting your first customers and giving them a good experience. Set up social media pages, hang up posters, tell your friends, post on facebook groups – anything to get the word out. We have some more tips around growing you customer base in this section of our blog.
Scaling up the side hustle
Let’s explore the best case scenario for a second: You create a killer product that develops a cult following in your neighborhood. Your Hotplate drops are selling out every week, and you’re struggling to keep up with demand in your small home kitchen. These are good problems to have and it means your side hustle can become something bigger.
Your next step could be to look at commercial kitchens or commissaries. Bigger spaces with their own health department certification that will allow you to cook or bake more products every hour. We have some tips on what to look for in a commercial kitchen here.
The bottom line
Food businesses don’t have to be a huge undertaking or a money pit like many think. You can easily start a small food focused side hustle for extra cash right out of your own kitchen and grow it into a business that sustains you.
