Culinary & hands-on workshops

Books and taxes for pasta and bread classes.

Class tickets, farmers market loaves, wholesale accounts that pay weeks late, and a flour order big enough to swamp a month. Gus sorts it all, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
NovemberExample month
$12,000
what you made

November came in at $12,000. You put in a big flour order ahead of the holidays, so I kept it in one steady line instead of letting it drag the month down.

  • Cozymeal payoutClass ticket sales
  • Farmers market salesRetail bread sales
  • Central Milling flour orderFlour and grain
  • Pasta extruder partsEquipment and tools
  • Farmers market booth feeMarket and event fees
Money in$39,000
Money out$27,000
Set aside for taxes$2,600
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

Pasta and bread class books go wrong in the same four places.

A generalist sees flour orders and market receipts. Your business is bulk grain bought a few times a year, farmers market sales in cash and card, wholesale accounts that pay weeks late, and classes that send everyone home with a bag of dough. When the books do not separate those, the numbers mislead you.

  1. 1

    Flour bought by the pallet wrecks a single month

    A pallet of 00 flour and semolina, or bread flour and rye, gets ordered a few times a year in bulk from a mill like Central Milling. One big order can make a month look like it barely turned a profit, when it is really months of ingredients at once.

    What we doKeeps flour and grain purchases in one steady line and tells you when a bulk order, not a bad month, explains a thin number.
  2. 2

    Farmers market sales come in cash and card, unevenly

    A Saturday market stall selling sourdough loaves and fresh pasta takes card taps through a reader and cash in a box, and the two rarely get counted the same way. Missed cash can make market sales look smaller than they are.

    What we doWorks from your bank deposits and whatever cash log you send, and asks when a pattern looks like a market day went uncounted.
  3. 3

    A pasta extruder or deck oven gets filed as a supply

    A commercial pasta extruder or a deck oven for artisan bread can cost as much as a used car, but bought alongside flour and yeast it often gets filed as one more ingredient buy instead of the equipment purchase it is.

    What we doFlags big equipment buys the day they show up, logs them as equipment, and gets the accountant's call on how to write them off.
  4. 4

    Wholesale bread accounts get invoiced weeks after delivery

    A restaurant or cafe that takes standing weekly bread deliveries often pays on a 30-day invoice instead of on the spot. Booked the day the loaves go out, income shows up before the cash actually arrives.

    What we doTracks wholesale invoices against when they actually get paid, so your cash picture matches what is really in the bank.
  5. 5

    Class fees blur with take-home dough kits

    A hands-on pasta class that sends everyone home with a bag of extra dough or a jar of sauce often prices the kit into the ticket. Combined, you cannot see whether the class or the take-home food is what people are really paying for.

    What we doKeeps class tickets and take-home food items in separate categories, so you can see what each part of the night is worth.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a pasta and bread class business.

Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Class ticket salesCozymeal, Classpop, and direct bookings for pasta and bread classes.
  • Farmers market and retail salesLoaves, fresh pasta, and jarred sauces sold at market or from the storefront.
  • Wholesale accountsStanding weekly deliveries to restaurants and cafes, tracked against when invoices get paid.
  • Private eventsDate-night and group bookings for pasta-making and bread-baking nights.
  • Take-home kitsDough, sauce, and starter kits sold alongside or apart from a class.

Money out

  • Flour and grain00 flour, semolina, bread flour, and rye from a mill like Central Milling.
  • Yeast, starter, and dairyActive dry yeast, sourdough starter feed, butter, and eggs.
  • Equipment and toolsPasta extruders, deck ovens, proofing boxes, and dough mixers.
  • Market and event feesFarmers market booth fees and event vendor fees.
  • Kitchen rent and utilitiesStudio lease, ovens, and proofing room temperature control.
  • Booking and payment feesCozymeal, Classpop, and card processing fees.
  • MarketingLocal ads, market signage, and class photography.

What we watch for you

  • Cost per class

    Flour and grain cost against the ticket price, so you know which classes pay.

  • Wholesale collections

    What restaurant accounts owe against what has actually been paid, so cash flow is not a guess.

  • Market sales per Saturday

    How much a market day brings in, so booth fees and travel are worth it.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is not a surprise.

Ask Gus

Things pasta and bread class owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

Why does this month look thin? We taught just as many classes as always.

You bought a pallet of 00 flour and semolina from your mill. I kept it in one steady line so you can see it was a bulk order, not a slow month.

The cafe we deliver bread to pays us a month late. Does that mess up the books?

No. I track what they owe against what actually lands in the bank, so your cash picture matches reality, not just the invoice date.

We just bought a commercial pasta extruder, about $5,000. Write it off now?

Usually yes. I logged it as equipment, not supplies, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.

The tax side

The tax side of a pasta and bread class business.

Most of what goes wrong here is timing. Bulk flour orders that swamp a month, and wholesale invoices that get booked before the cash arrives.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Ingredient cost of goodsFlour, grain, and dairy used directly in what you sell are cost of goods, the direct cost tracked against each sale, not a general supply expense.
  • Equipment write-offsPasta extruders, deck ovens, and proofing equipment can usually be written off the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
  • Contractor 1099sA guest baker or class helper not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC if you pay them $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.

Deductions pasta and bread making classes miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • 00 flour and semolina
  • Sourdough starter and yeast
  • Butter and dairy
  • Pasta extruder maintenance
  • Proofing box and dough tools
  • Farmers market booth fees
  • Cozymeal and Classpop fees
  • Aprons and uniforms
  • Class photography
  • Kitchen rent and utilities
  • Liability insurance
  • Cleaning supplies

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A pasta and bread class year, kept every month.

Market Saturdays and holiday bread orders shape the year. Your taxes come on a schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, the guest baker 1099 list is finalized, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill this spring, because the set-aside has been building since January.

  3. July

    Farmers market season

    Market Saturdays run steady through summer. Gus keeps cash and card sales straight and tells you when a market day looks like it went uncounted.

  4. October

    Stocking up for the holidays

    The big flour orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas bread sales land now. Gus keeps them in one steady line so November does not look alarming.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for pasta and bread making classes. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions pasta and bread class owners ask first.

We buy flour in bulk a few times a year. Won't that make one month look bad?

No. Gus keeps flour and grain purchases in one steady line and tells you when a bulk order, not a slow season, is why a month looks thin.

A restaurant we deliver bread to pays us on a 30-day invoice. Does that cause problems?

No. Gus tracks what wholesale accounts owe against what actually gets paid, so your cash picture reflects reality, not just the invoice date.

We sell at a farmers market and take both cash and card. Can Gus handle that?

Yes. He works from your bank deposits and whatever cash log you send, and asks when a market day looks like something is missing.

Do I need paperwork for the friend who helps knead dough on busy weekends?

If she is not on payroll and you pay her $2,000 or more in 2026, yes, a 1099-NEC by January 31. Gus keeps that list running all year.

We just bought a commercial deck oven. Can we write it off?

Usually yes, often in the year you buy it. Gus flags the purchase as equipment and the accountant decides how to write it off with your whole year in view.

Our books are a year behind. Is that a problem?

No. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand inside a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

More in culinary & hands-on workshops

We keep books for the business next door too.

What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever