About Us
The Culinary Square will be more than a shared commercial kitchen - it's the heart of a community-centered food ecosystem. Our mission is to create spaces where local food entrepreneurs can thrive while reconnecting our community with the joy of cooking, the value of local ingredients, and the power of shared meals.
Through our culinary classes, farmers' market education, food photography services, and pop-up events, we're building a web of support that helps small food businesses succeed while teaching families to fall in love with cooking.
About Our Founder
After 27 years of building software companies, I discovered that my true passion was investing in the people and communities we created together. While empathizing with young engineers navigating workplace pressures, I found my purpose in fostering environments where talented teams could thrive. In 2023, while retraining in the Culinary Health and Healing program at Maryland University of Integrated Health, I uncovered food's profound role in weaving together community, wellness, and human connection—and saw how we often surrender our agency over something as fundamental as what we eat.
This revelation sparked an audacious dream: to build communities around food, health, and connection through The Culinary Square, a shared commercial kitchen that serves as the center of revenue, community, and support opportunities. From culinary classes that help people fall in love with cooking again to partnerships with local farmers' markets and pop-up events that amplify multiple food businesses, my mission remains unchanged—creating spaces where people can thrive together, one meaningful connection at a time.
Firing Up Our Vision
The Spark
Every great movement begins with a simple observation. For us, it was seeing talented food entrepreneurs in Anne Arundel County struggling with the same barriers - access to commercial kitchen space, business support, and a community that truly understood their dreams.
We knew Maryland's food industry was a powerful economic engine, but too many culinary innovators were being held back by obstacles we can help remove.
We started where all good food stories begin—with community. Our first step was creating a comprehensive survey to understand exactly what our local food entrepreneurs needed.
Partnering with Anne Arundel Community College and the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, we began building relationships with the very people we hoped to serve.
Q1 2025
Building the Foundation
Spring brought us face-to-face with our community. We showed up at the AACC Spring Fair, farmers markets, and food truck rallies, anywhere passionate food makers gathered.
Simultaneously, we began our search for the perfect location, knowing that finding the right home would be crucial to our success.
Q2 2025
Taking It to the Streets
By summer, our survey revealed the depth of need and opportunity in our community. The data tells a powerful story about barriers, dreams, and potential.
We’re on a mission to share this data with the right partners and supporters. Our folks are as excited as we are to be part of this unique endeavor that marries economic development with community-building, all while transforming the local food scene for Anne Arundel County residents.
Q3 2025
Listening and Learning
Q4 2025
The Quest Continues
As we look toward the final quarter of 2025, our mission remains clear: find the perfect location and continue building our community. Help us find our location!