Baltimore Chef Shop is the first teaching kitchen in Baltimore which will satisfy your inner foodie with an extensive selection of fun cooking classes. Sign up and turn up the heat this summer!
It seems I write a lot about food. That made me pause to ask myself the important question – “Is this too much?” And my heart and mind both responded with a resounding “Never!” Think about it: food is essential to life. But we are also gifted with the ability to enjoy our rituals when it comes to buying, cooking, and eating food. Beyond just an intake of calories to keep ourselves full and able to function, we’ve elevated food to another level of pleasure. Preparation and consumption of food is now revered, planned, and thoroughly enjoyed. With millions of social media video tutorials, from glazing cakes to rolling sushi, you can become a home chef overnight!
Of course, we’ve all been guilty of eating a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar or lunch meat right out of the little Ziploc baggie it comes in. But moments of weakness during pangs of hunger aside, we love homemade food prepared with love and attention.
If you prefer to leave the heavy lifting and elbow grease to the chefs at your favorite take-out place or five-star restaurant, I won’t judge. I'm a sucker for a beautifully plated seared salmon on a bed of greens when the only effort required is to order off the menu. But there is also a breed of humans who love the creative process: selecting the recipe, hunting for the perfectly ripe produce, chopping, steaming, and spicing to perfection. Cooking and baking can be soothing and relaxing. Although I think I’m not alone in admitting that cleaning up is THE worst part… But let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
If you love to cook and want to hone your skills to become an even more qualified candidate for Top Chef, then the Baltimore Chef Shop is the place for you. The Shop opened its doors to eager culinary students during the summer of 2015 as the first teaching kitchen in Baltimore. Their hands-on cooking classes led by professional chefs immerse you in a variety of cooking styles, techniques, and flavors. Classes typically accommodate between 12 and 16 students. You start by selecting the type of class you’d like: technique classes focus mainly on practicing a certain skill, while menu-based classes allow you to prepare a meal which you feast on at the end of the class.
A few years ago, my husband and I attended a Couples Cook class where I got to indulge in all things sushi, which I swear I’d eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I could. Teamed up with three other couples, we were tasked with preparing various parts of the sushi meal. The experience lasted about three hours and was a really fun way to spend a weekend afternoon. The kitchen is BYOB so you can even bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while cooking. Check out the full selection of classes here. You can take your pick from classes such as Korean Street Food, Dim Sum, Crepes, Indian, and much more.
While classes are for adults 18 and over, the little ones can still participate! The Shop offers kids and teens classes, as well, so that children can start to learn the basics of cooking and gain an appreciation for making a healthy meal from scratch. Parent & Me classes are single-day sessions, while Summer Culinary Camps provide a weeklong culinary experience.
The Baltimore Chef Shop left a lasting impression and created memories which we still remember. I learned that I’ve been coring apples incorrectly my entire life. Also, anytime you pass behind someone with a knife you’re supposed to say: “Sharp!” My husband does so to this day. A night out at the Shop makes a great gift, as I am coming to understand that such experiences make life that much more rewarding.
Have you been to the Baltimore Chef Shop? How was your experience? What was your favorite recipe or style of cooking? Drop us a line below!