Ada Ventura: Approved MEHKO“Ada Deliciosa Comida Guatemalteca”
Ada Ventura has long dreamed of operating a food business that would allow her to share the flavors of her home country, Guatemala. While living in Guatemala, Ada owned a restaurant, and after moving to the U.S., she was determined to continue sharing Guatemalan cuisine with her new community. Ada first learned about ICON through promotions for sidewalk vending workshops in August of 2025. She attended several workshops with the initial goal of obtaining a grill cart. Through these sessions, she gained a deeper understanding of the licenses and permits required to operate a sidewalk vending business.
During this process, she was also introduced to the MEHKO Program which stands or Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation), a permit that allows entrepreneurs to legally operate a health-department-approved restaurant from their home kitchen. After learning more about the program, Ada decided that a home-based food business was the best fit for her goals. The sidewalk vending staff at ICON supported Ada every step of the way, from obtaining her business license and seller’s permit to registering her DBA, Ada Deliciosa Comida Guatemalteca. Ada has expressed deep gratitude for the staff’s guidance, especially their patience in clearly explaining each step of the process and assisting her throughout the MEHKO application. One requirement for submitting the MEHKO application was obtaining a food manager certificate. Through the facilitation of Kimberly at The Food Truck Group, Ada attended food safety courses that prepared her to successfully pass the food manager exam. Once certified, ICON staff immediately assisted her with submitting her MEHKO application and preparing for the health inspection. For the inspection she was required to demonstrate that her kitchen and appliances were clean, that the fridge and freezer were at the correct temperature, and that she was knowledgeable in the ingredients for her menu, the correct storage and the reheating and holding temperatures of cold and hot foods. Within a week of the inspection, Ada was notified that she had passed and was officially approved to begin operating.
Today, Ada is actively promoting her business through social media platforms such as TikTok, where she already had a following from sharing recipes, as well as Facebook and printed flyers featuring her menu. Ada Deliciosa Comida Guatemalteca is located in Northridge which is in Council District 12. She has already gained several loyal customers who continue to return. Currently, she offers pickup and drop-off options, but she is preparing to launch her home restaurant in the coming weeks. Her plan includes setting up tables and chairs so customers can enjoy their meals on-site, while still offering pickup and delivery options. Ada is incredibly excited about her upcoming grand opening and proudly recommends ICON and the MEHKO Program to other aspiring food entrepreneurs.
