Free Resources

Commercial Kitchen Guides

Everything you need to start, run, and scale a food business in the UK. Expert guides, calculators, and checklists — all free.

In-depth guides
Free calculators
Printable checklists

Guides

Popular

What is a Ghost Kitchen?

Ghost kitchens explained: delivery-only restaurants with no dining room. Costs, pros/cons, and whether they're right for you.

7k+ monthly searches

How to Start a Dark Kitchen

Complete guide to launching a delivery-only restaurant. From concept to first orders in 2-4 weeks.

From £8,000 startup

Food Business Licensing UK

How to legally start a food business. FSA registration, food hygiene, insurance, and compliance requirements.

Step-by-step guide

UK Kitchen Rental Costs

City-by-city breakdown of commercial kitchen rental prices across the UK.

40+ cities covered

Kitchen Types Compared

Shared vs ghost vs commissary vs incubator kitchens. Find the right fit for your food business.

5 types explained

Why Food Businesses Fail

60% of UK food businesses fail in year 1. The 12 most common mistakes and how to avoid them.

12 mistakes to avoid

Delivery Platform Guide

How to succeed on Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. Optimise listings and maximise orders.

Platform comparison

Kitchen Equipment Guide

Essential equipment for commercial kitchens. What to buy, rent, or use from shared facilities.

By business type
New

Startup Costs UK

How much to start a catering business, ghost kitchen, bakery, or food truck. Complete budget breakdown.

From £5,000 startup

Food Safety & HACCP

Essential food safety for UK kitchens. Temperature control, HACCP, and getting a 5-star hygiene rating.

Inspection guide

London Food Business License

Step-by-step guide to licensing your food business in London. Borough requirements and costs.

All boroughs covered

Dark Kitchen vs Ghost Kitchen

What's the difference? Complete comparison of dark kitchen, ghost kitchen, cloud kitchen, and virtual restaurant.

Terminology explained
New

Food Hygiene Rating UK

How the FHRS works, what inspectors check, and how to get a 5-star food hygiene rating for your business.

0-5 rating explained
New

Allergen Labelling (Natasha's Law)

The 14 allergens, PPDS labelling rules, and how to comply with UK allergen requirements.

Natasha's Law guide
New

Food Business Grants & Funding

Start Up Loans, council grants, Prince's Trust, and alternative funding for UK food businesses.

Up to £25,000
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Dark Kitchen Profitability

Real P&L breakdown, profit margins, breakeven analysis, and revenue benchmarks for UK dark kitchens.

8-15% net margin
New

Start a Meal Prep Business

Complete guide to launching a meal prep business in the UK. From kitchen setup to subscription models.

Step-by-step guide

Food Truck Commissary Guide

What food trucks need from commercial kitchens. Storage, prep, cleaning, and compliance requirements.

Requirements explained

Pricing Strategy for Food Businesses

How to price menu items profitably. Food cost targets, pricing psychology, and markup strategies.

Pricing formulas included

Low Budget Marketing

Marketing strategies for food businesses on tight budgets. Free and low-cost tactics that work.

Under £500/month

Social Media Strategy

Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook tactics for food businesses. Content ideas and posting schedules.

Platform-by-platform

Food Photography Tips

Take professional food photos with your smartphone. Lighting, styling, and editing techniques.

No equipment needed

B2B Catering Sales

How to win corporate catering contracts. Prospecting, proposals, and pricing for B2B clients.

Sales templates included

Farmers Markets Guide

Complete guide to selling at UK farmers markets. Applications, pricing, and maximising sales.

Market directory included

Hiring Your First Employee

When and how to hire for your food business. Contracts, payroll, and legal requirements.

Templates included

When to Scale Your Food Business

7 signs you're ready to grow. From hourly kitchen to dedicated space, and beyond.

7 key signals

Menu Development Guide

How to design a profitable menu. Engineering, testing, and optimising your offering.

Menu matrix included

Kitchen Contract Considerations

What to look for in commercial kitchen rental contracts. Key terms and red flags.

Checklist included

Birmingham Food Business License

Complete guide to licensing your food business in Birmingham. Council requirements and contacts.

Birmingham specific

Manchester Food Business License

Complete guide to licensing your food business in Manchester. Council requirements and contacts.

Manchester specific

Ready to Find Your Kitchen?

Browse verified commercial kitchen spaces across 40+ UK cities. From shared commissaries to dedicated dark kitchen units.