How a Baltimore chef is helping others with access to kitchen space.

Inside a vibrant, mural-covered building in Baltimore, a woman-owned business is helping aspiring chefs turn passion into opportunity.

Catina Smith, affectionately known as Chef Cat, co-owns Our Time Kitchen.

Smith and her co-owner noticed a recurring theme: Up-and-coming chefs needed an affordable place to cook.

So, they came up with a solution. 

"Let's build this affordable kitchen space so that people can rent it out on an hourly basis, versus how other shared kitchens need you to sign up for six months," Smith said, recalling her plan. 

"If you're a new starting business owner, you just don't have the capital to sign up for something long-term like that," Smith added. "We wanted to make it flexible and accessible."

Falling in love with cooking

Smith's journey to creating the space for others started long before the kitchen. She fell in love with cooking at a young age and decided to go to culinary school, but she didn't see many chefs who looked like her. 

"Advocating for women in the culinary space is major for me," said Smith. "You must see it to believe it. I didn't really see any Black women chefs in the culinary space. I saw a few women, but none that looked like me." 

That is why her chef's coat is more than just a uniform. Smith wants young Black children to see her and feel inspired. 

Joining the Air Force Reserves 

Smith spent 16 years of service in the Air Force Reserve, and said it helped her in the kitchen. 

"We would cook for over 7,000 people a day," said Smith. "It was insane, so I would say I got a lot of discipline from being in the military and a lot of pride."

For Smith, it's bigger than food; cooking is about community and making sure the door is open for the next person. 

From chef meet-ups to teaching children how to cook, and even collaborating with other chefs, she's creating spaces for others to grow. 

Working with Chef Gordon Ramsay

Smith said collaboration is key. Her network expanded even further after she became a contestant on Hell's Kitchen and worked alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay. 

She learned they shared something beyond the kitchen; the experience of being parents. 

"The thing that sticks out about Chef Ramsay is that he started from the bottom, and I love that," Smith said. "He has a lot of grit, a lot of drive and he's a family man. Whenever I was a chef at a restaurant, I was usually the only mother. Knowing that he has six kids and still making it work is cool." 

Opening a restaurant 

Now, Chef Cat is in the process of opening her own restaurant, Cherry Street Diner, and is looking forward to the recognition that comes with owning a space of her own. 

"First, I was like, I'm not going to open a restaurant; I'm going to cater and do that kind of thing. I'm really passionate about cooking, and I'm really good at it," said Smith. "I want a James Beard Award, and if you're not affiliated with a restaurant, you are overlooked. For me to have the accolades that I want, I have to have a brick and mortar." 

Accomplishing her goals one step at a time, she has a message for women entering this male-dominated industry: don't wait for a seat, create your own.    

She said you can be successful, just take it seriously, be super professional, and show up in every way.