This year, some people will hand in their notice to work to realize a dream of owning a bakery, bottling grandpa's secret recipe barbecue sauce, or introducing their culture's cuisine to the area.

But getting a food-based business off the ground can feel like a spaghetti tangle of regulations and licensing. However, with the help of advisors and experts at start-up incubators, small business centres, and some community kitchens, that dream can become reality.

There are requirements that can take …