Baltimore Baker Amanda Mack Named Cook Of The Year By Southern Living Magazine
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- If you want to taste some baked goods created by one of the best cooks in the country, head to Clipper Mills Whitehall Market because Southern Living Magazine just named Amanda Mack cook of the year.
Mack describes food as her love language. You can find her baking at her booth in Whitehall Market every day.
"I'm actually doing what I love to do," said Mack. "It's not work for me."
Mack is a West Baltimore woman who could write a book about how to take a dream from pop-ups, to crowdfunding, to finally opening your own small-batch bakery.
She shared her success with Baltimore in her first year of business by donating more than $10,000 to local charities, promoting her love of food and nutrition.
"Everything that I do I try to make sure that we give back and we support others who experienced the same thing as me because I didn't have access to funding," said Mack. " I didn't have access to mentorship."
Amanda's talent and commitment somehow reached Southern Living magazine, who out of the blue called her with the news -- she's a cook of the year.
"I didn't even know. I did not even know. It was a surprise!" Mack said.
Kelly Jackson's not surprised. She's been a loyal customer since Crust by Mack opened.
"It's phenomenal. Like a woman-owned business, a black-owned business. It is just fantastic. I'm so proud of her," Jackson said.
"They scoured the country of chefs that they wanted to highlight in this issue and it was me and four other people in the whole United States of America. I'm one of the cooks of the years," Mack said.
