Business Spotlight: The Baking Coach

BELLPORT — Lisa journey to becoming The Baking Coach started with a simple trip to the grocery store. After finishing culinary school in 2005, she realized her career in footwear meant she would rarely wear her beloved chef coat again. That night, wandering through a supermarket aisle, she spotted a package of baking mix with two words that would change her life: Baking Coach.

I put it in my shopping cart and the next morning I woke up and said to my husband, Baking Coach. That is the name of my company, Lisa recalls. He told me to trademark it if it was not taken. It was not. And the business was born.

From Home Kitchens to Bellport Outlets

What began as in-home baking lessons has evolved into something far greater. Lisa originally obtained her off-premise catering license from the Suffolk County Health Department to teach people baking skills in their own kitchens.

The business expanded into libraries and schools before finding a home in Huntington, where Lisa shared space with another company. But the real growth came in 2022 when she moved The Baking Coach to the Bellport Outlets.

It doubled our business, she says. We are right on the same side as Home Depot, and something special is happening there. While one side remains retail-focused, the other side is becoming an education center. there is an electrical school, a karate school is coming in, and us. As AI becomes more prevalent, people are gravitating toward skills that cannot be replaced by technology.

A Mission Baked with Purpose

But what truly sets The Baking Coach apart is not just the location or the classes, it's her mission. As the mother of a child with autism, Lisa opened her business to adults who are differently abled. Today, 40% of her workforce comprises differently abled adults, and she is working toward a 60/40 split.

The vehicle for this mission? Cookie dough kits.

We manufacture baking kits that people can buy in our shop or online and soon to be on Amazon and HomeGoods, Lisa explains. These are mix-in-the-bag, patented inventions. You can either eat the dough or bake the cookies, but the prime focus is to provide jobs for the differently abled because these are simple tasks that can be done by hand.

All the kits are made by hand by her differently abled employees. And Lisa commitment to accessibility does not stop there. The kits include Braille options, and the instructional videos feature sign language interpretation.

I do not want anybody left out, she says. I know what it is like to be left out because when I was younger, I was not able to communicate properly with my peers. So when I developed this line, I said I want it accessible to all, not just some.

Recipes for Learning: A Sister Company

Next door to The Baking Coach, Lisa runs a sister company called Recipes for Learning. This transitional training program helps differently abled adults transition out of high school and into the food industry.

We teach them money management, how to write checks, how to balance a checkbook, Lisa explains. We use fake cash that looks totally real so they can practice making transactions. It is so easy to just swipe a card these days and we want to help them to understand money.

The program graduates students who are then considered for employment at The Baking Coach.

The Open Bake Experience

For customers, The Baking Coach offers what Lisa calls Open Bake. It is a  unique experience that is part baking lesson, part bakery visit. Customers make reservations online, choose a baking kit, and get a stainless steel table for an hour. All ingredients are provided, along with instructional videos, and best of all the is no cleanup.

It is a crossbreed between taking a baking lesson and going to a bakery, Lisa says. We have black and white cookies, Linzer tarts, Boston cream pie cupcakes. It is only an hour, it is inexpensive at $45 plus the cost of the kit, and it is a great way to reconnect with teenagers.

The shop also offers two-hour hands-on baking, cooking, and cake decorating classes for $99.

Big Things on the Horizon

The Baking Coach is poised for significant growth. Lisa recently secured her first order with QVC, where she will be able to showcase her mission in action when they go on air this fall. She is also heading to the June Fancy Food Show to expand distribution.

The cookie dough kits are also available for fundraising. They are a popular option for schools because the product is shelf-stable for one year and ships direct to consumers, meaning organizations simply send out flyers without handling inventory.

The Heart Behind the Business

Ask Lisa why she does what she does, and her answer reveals the soul of her business.

Baking has always meant so much to me. It has been my best friend my whole life, she shares. When I was a child trying to learn, I used baking to help me with schoolwork. The more proficient I got as a baker, the more efficient I got in school. I really enjoy teaching that to children.

She weaves general school subjects into her children programs and emphasizes that baking teaches patience and forward-thinking. Skills that translate far beyond the kitchen.

“You know,” she said thoughtfully during our conversation, “some things just can’t be rushed.”

Visit The Baking Coach

The Baking Coach is located at the Bellport Outlets on the same side as Home Depot. You can make reservations for Open Bake sessions on their website, purchase baking kits online, or sign up for classes.

Whether you are looking for a rainy day activity, a way to bond with your teenager, or simply want to support a business that is making a real difference in the lives of differently abled adults, The Baking Coach offers something truly special — a place where cookie dough is not just dessert, it is a pathway to independence.

Want to learn more about The Baking Coach or their fundraising programs? Visit their location at Bellport Outlets or find them online at bakingcoach.com.