Some Bolton Hill residents may remember the summer night that Kylie Perrotti asked her neighborhood Facebook group if anyone would be interested in a local cooking club should she start one. A few hours later, Perrotti had more than 80 people join the suddenly founded Baltimore Supper Club on Facebook.
“The story we tell is that Kylie had a little too much coffee that night and realized she wanted to make friends who were hyper-local who had a similar passion for cooking,” said Marci Yankelov, a Bolton Hill neighbor who joined Perrotti along with Robert Eastabrooks at the helm of the club shortly after the founding.
The team opened up the group to the greater Baltimore area and now boast more than 2,500 members and have held 15 events since the July 3, 2019 Facebook post (and cups of coffee) that started it all.
Some of these events have included themed dinner parties, a cupping at Ceremony Coffee Roasters, a natural wine tasting at Angels Ate Lemons, and even an outing to Charm City Night market. Many events are hosted by members who volunteer their homes for the night.
“Our events are always free and always inclusive,” said Yankelov and Perrotti. “We work to create variety in the types of events we host so there will, hopefully, be something that everyone can enjoy.”
The inclusive nature of the club extends beyond events. The popular Facebook group has become a daily feature on many of the members’ lives. Yankelov and Perrotti work hard to create a space that people will share their successes, failures, and questions.
“A core part of our mission is to build the digital equivalent of borrowing a cup of flour from your neighbor,” said Yankelov and Perrotti, “and this happens regularly in our group.”
“One member was making jam and needed a big stock pot and we were able to lend her one,” they said, “and in return, she gave us a jar of her homemade jam. It’s that type of community that makes the Baltimore Supper Club so special.”
Marci Yankelov, a Baltimore native and realtor, loves that she’s helping to bring people together from all walks of life.
“The conversations on our page and at our events focus on cooking and contributing. As our community grows, I realize more and more how much people want to be a part of something really positive where there is no judgement and we are providing that platform,” she said.
Kylie Perrotti, an art director, food blogger, and published cookbook author creates all the group’s graphics and has been blown away by what the Baltimore Supper Club means to some of its members.
“I feel connected to my community and am amazed every day by how kind, talented, and well-fed everyone in this group is,” one member said.
“This is the most supportive, positive group I’ve been a part of,” said another. “It’s like one big family together at the dinner table!”
As the club grows, the leadership team would like to see it reach 3,000 members and continue to collaborate with local businesses, like their cupping at Ceremony. Visit the Facebook Group or the Baltimore Supper Club Website.
–Atticus Rice
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