Inside the Baltimore Chef Shop’s teaching kitchen, learning starts immediately. During a recent class in donut-making, participants rolled dough, whisked pastry cream, and worked through each step together, gaining hands-on experience from the start.
Chef Stephanie Apostolou explained the focus of the class.
“We are doing donuts. But it’s not just learning how to make a donut. It’s learning how to work with yeast. It’s learning how to make a pastry cream,” Apostolou said.
Tucked into Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, Baltimore Chef Shop offers more than just cooking classes. The shop welcomes people of all experience levels, creating an environment where beginners, and even more experienced cooks, work side by side. Located on West 36th Street, it has built a reputation as an award-winning teaching kitchen, offering classes that focus on technique rather than simply following recipes.
From couples sessions, kids and teen classes, private events, and even multi-week courses, the space is designed for both casual learners and those looking to build deeper culinary skills. Participants can explore everything from foundational techniques, to international cuisines, including Italian, Thai, Japanese, and Caribbean dishes, as well as more specialized classes like knife skills and baking.
Apostolou emphasized the range of offerings. “You would be surprised. They offer over 40 different classes, but then we also teach classes from almost every country in the world and their authentic recipes with authentic ingredients,” Apostolou said.
That range allows participants to experience different cultures through food.
“I love it because one day I’m in Morocco, the next time in Thailand, and it’s, it’s perfect,” Apostolou said.
Across the kitchen, participants brought their own reasons for signing up. While making pastry cream for the donuts, Amber McCreary said, “I actually got my husband two tickets for his birthday since he loves to bake.”
With a different reason, Hanna Barkat ‘26 explained, “My friend and I have been holding onto gift cards for a few years and decided to take the class together before graduating.”
Behind the scenes, assistants help keep each class running smoothly. Josh Wright, who has worked at the shop for over two years, prepares ingredients, sets up equipment, and supports both the chef and participants throughout the class.
“My job here is I come in here an hour and a half early, set up everything. All the equipment, all the ingredients. Cut the bread, make the coffee. Just kind of do all the various tasks. Once the class starts, anything the chefs need. I supply, I do a bunch of different kinds of jobs,” Wright said.
Apostolou is one of many chefs teaching at Baltimore Chef Shop. With more than 40 years of experience and nearly six years at the shop, she now leads classes with confidence, although her path to the kitchen was not something she initially planned.
After attending culinary school and running her own catering business while raising four children, Apostolou was approached by Baltimore Chef Shop about teaching. At first, she was hesitant, unsure if she wanted to take on the role while managing a busy schedule. However, after stepping into the space, her perspective quickly changed.
“I fell in love with the beautiful environment. I fell in love with the classes. I fell in love with the people. It was just amazing,” Apostolou said.
She began working part-time, balancing teaching with her catering work, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, her catering business came to a halt. During that time, Baltimore Chef Shop became her primary focus, adapting through takeout meals, virtual classes, and meal kits to continue serving the community. Now, years later, Apostolou continues to teach, drawn to both the environment and the variety of what the kitchen offers.
Her teaching style emphasizes creating a welcoming space for everyone, regardless of experience.
“There is no pressure here. They’re here to have fun, and they’re here to learn,” Apostolou said.
Rather than separating participants by skill level, she brings everyone together, creating a collaborative environment where people can learn from each other. With most classes ranging from around $85 for single-session technique classes to about $179 for group or couples experiences, the kitchen remains an accessible space to both casual participants and those looking for a more in-depth experience.
What keeps people coming back and what has kept Apostolou there for years is the experience itself. As new classes and cuisines are introduced, Baltimore Chef Shop is not just teaching recipes, but expanding how people connect with food.
