From the EFR Newsletter Spring Edition 2025
Business Spotlight: The Cook’s Kitchen and Healthy Homestead Personal Chef
This season, we’re proud to highlight two growing businesses making an impact in East Frederick: The Cook’s Kitchen, a shared-use commercial kitchen space, and one of its thriving tenants, Healthy Homestead Personal Chef.
The Cook’s Kitchen was started by Mike Winder, who recognized a rising need for affordable commercial kitchen space for small food businesses. His first venture, The Cutting Board, quickly filled up, prompting the expansion to a second facility, now known as The Cook’s Kitchen. Located on opposite ends of a shared gravel parking lot, both spaces cater to caterers, bakers, charcuterie artists, food trucks, and farmers market vendors — offering a cost-effective place for small entrepreneurs to launch and grow.
Mike shares, “We’ve seen several clients move on to open their own brick-and-mortar shops. That’s a pretty cool thing to see!” Staying rooted in East Frederick made sense for Mike, who already owned other businesses nearby and appreciated the character of the area, including local favorites like Everedy Square and Shab Row.
One of the many small businesses working out of The Cook’s Kitchen is Healthy Homestead Personal Chef, founded by chef Jason Stum. Jason brings more than 25 years of professional culinary experience to his business, which focuses on whole-food-based meal prep made entirely from scratch. After recovering from serious injuries through nutrition and lifestyle changes, Jason was inspired to launch Healthy Homestead Personal Chef to help others fuel their lives with high-quality, nourishing meals.
“The Cook’s Kitchen has allowed me to steadily grow my business,” Jason explains. “Starting a food business is expensive and risky — but having access to a shared kitchen space lets entrepreneurs build a client base without the overhead of a full restaurant.”
Both Mike and Jason share a strong commitment to East Frederick’s future. Jason envisions a community with more public spaces to host open-air markets where local farms and producers can sell fresh goods as well as support local artisans.
Looking ahead, Jason hopes to expand into his own facility offering fresh-made meal prep, soups, and salads to the public — bringing even more wholesome, handcrafted options to Frederick residents.
Fun Facts:
Healthy Homestead Personal Chef was created with a purpose that goes beyond profit — Jason founded the business out of a genuine desire to help people improve their daily nutrition. His focus is on providing wholesome, from-scratch meals that can support busy, modern lifestyles.
Jason’s extensive background includes fine dining, multiple business ownerships, and working in the mental health and eating disorder recovery fields. This unique experience gives him a well-rounded approach to food and nutrition, and a fearless spirit when it comes to launching and supporting small businesses within the culinary landscape. He also remains a strong supporter of fellow start-ups and the growing food community in East Frederick.
Favorite East Frederick Hidden Gems:
Mike loves the historic charm of Everedy Square and Shab Row, while Jason’s list includes Frederick Coffee Company, Food Pro, Gilbert’s Restaurant Supply, and other beloved East Frederick businesses. There’s too many to name!
