McHenry County, IL Outdoor Cooking: Outdoor Kitchen Permits (2026)

Section 8.04.140(I) of the county Public Health Ordinance requires any fixed food establishment that wants to add a beer garden, pig roast, fish boil, outdoor grilling or similar outdoor cooking event to first obtain a Supplemental Outdoor Grilling Health Permit, or a Temporary Food Permit, from the McHenry County Department of Health; this sits on top of, and does not replace, the establishment's regular operating permit.

Section 8.04.260 sets the physical standards that permit has to meet. Cooking has to happen on the premises immediately adjacent to the permitted building, with all other food prep and service staying inside except for condiments applied by patrons or cooks. The grill and any other cooking equipment must carry an ANSI-accredited equipment certification, or be separately approved by the Department, and must sit on a smooth, easily cleanable surface such as sealed concrete or mortared non-textured brick, kept away from public access and from waste receptacles or dumpsters. At least one hand washing lavatory with hot and cold water under pressure must be available at or near the grilling area, and grilled products must be shielded from contamination by a closed grill cover, canopy or roofed area. Raw product needs mechanical refrigeration unless it's brought straight from the kitchen, cooked food has to be held at 135°F or served immediately, and a certified food service sanitation manager must be on site the entire time food is being grilled or cooked. Any portable or chemical toilets used have to meet the standards of § 8.04.580.