Pop-up restaurant nights

Local diners and food lovers who book tickets, plus groups celebrating birthdays or small occasions.

Ticket or set-menu price per guest, with drinks sold by you or the host venue. You may pay the venue a fee or share of takings.

• Cooking for groups to a set menu
• Social media and word-of-mouth promotion
• Planning and costing menus
• Working calmly under pressure

• Register as a food business with your local council before you start trading, and check whether the host kitchen's own registration covers you
• If alcohol is involved, check whether the venue's premises licence covers it or whether you need a temporary event notice
• Allergen information and food hygiene training are essential to check, and a food hygiene certificate is expected by most venues
• Public liability insurance, and check what the venue's own cover includes
• Uneven income, no-shows and wasted food, so take payment in advance through ticketing

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £8,000, depending on equipment, ingredients, venue hire, insurance and promotion. These are estimates, so cost your first event carefully before selling tickets.

Check you register as a food business with your local council before trading, and whether the host kitchen's registration covers you. Also check alcohol licensing or a temporary event notice, allergen information, hygiene training and insurance.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £8,000, depending on how many nights you run, ticket prices and guest numbers. Income can be uneven, so take payment in advance through ticketing to limit no-shows.