Many people in Islamabad cook very well at home. Friends say "you should sell this." But where do you start? This guide gives simple first steps. It is not legal advice.
Step 1: Pick a few dishes
Do not start with a big menu. Choose 3 to 5 dishes you cook best and can make the same way every time. Biryani, karahi, baked goods, frozen parathas and desserts are common starts.
- Good: a small menu is easy to cook fresh and easy to keep clean.
- Hard: a long menu means more waste and more mistakes.
Step 2: Work out your price
Add up the cost of ingredients, gas, packing and your time. Then add a small profit. Our guide on how to price homemade food shows a simple way.
Step 3: Check the rules before you start
In 2024, news reports said the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) asked food businesses in Islamabad Capital Territory to register. Later reports said inspections and notices had started. The reports we read did not say how the rules apply to home kitchens.
So do not guess. Contact the IFA and ask: "I cook at home and want to sell food. What do I need?" The news reports named the IFA office at the Multipurpose Sports Center, F-6 Markaz. Rules and places can change, so call first.
Step 4: Keep your kitchen clean and label your food
- Wash hands and surfaces. Keep raw and cooked food apart.
- Use clean, closed containers.
- Write the dish name and the day you cooked it.
- Never sell food you would not eat yourself.
Step 5: Take good photos
A clear photo in daylight sells better than a long description. Show the real food, not a picture from the internet.
Step 6: Think about how people will get the food
Some home chefs have the customer collect the food. Others book a rider service, such as Bykea, for each order. Both can work. Delivery costs money, so decide who pays before the first order.
Step 7: Find your first customers
Start with people who already know you: family, friends, neighbours and office colleagues. Ask for honest feedback. Then add an online way to be found, such as a WhatsApp group, Instagram, or a local app.
How SastaKhana can help
SastaKhana is a local food deals app for Islamabad. You list what you have, set your own price and choose a pickup time. Customers reserve and pay online, then collect the food. Delivery through SastaKhana is not available. You and your customer may arrange delivery yourselves.
- 0% commission for your first 30 days. It starts on your first sale. After that, home chefs pay 10%. See the Partner Terms.
- Your address stays private. It is shown to a customer only after they reserve and pay.
- We ask to see your kitchen (photos and a short video), so customers can trust you. Here is why.
What can you sell on SastaKhana?
- Fresh deals: food made fresh, at a price you set. Every seller can list these, home chefs too.
- Surplus deals: fresh food made that day that did not sell. Restaurants, bakeries and cafes only.
- Home chefs: freshly made food only. No surplus food.
More in our guide: what can you sell on SastaKhana.
How to join SastaKhana
- Open List My Business on our website and fill the short form. Or email partner@sastakhana.com.
- Our Islamabad team contacts you.
- Home chefs: we ask for an ID and photos of your kitchen and food, plus a short video. This is private and builds trust with buyers.
- You list your food, set your price and choose a pickup time.
SastaKhana is new and we are building it with our first partners. Home chef or not, tell us about your kitchen and our Islamabad team will reply.
Sources
- Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), 28 February 2024, on Islamabad Food Authority registration.
- Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), 3 December 2025, on registrations and inspections.
Discussion
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