What happens when you combine a teacher’s understanding of education, a mother’s determination, and a love of baking? For Lisa Wallace, the answer was I’m the Chef Too!, an innovative educational experience that transforms the kitchen into a hands-on STEM classroom.

The concept began at home when Wallace was looking for a different way to help her son, Ryan, engage with learning. Rather than relying solely on traditional instruction, she began bringing his school concepts to life through baking, measuring, experimenting, and creating.

What started as a solution for her own family eventually became a rapidly growing business. In less than three years, Wallace went from working in her home kitchen to operating from a 50,000-square-foot production facility.

Today, I’m the Chef Too! allows families to step away from screens and learn together through hands-on experiences that children can see, touch, create—and ultimately taste.

Houston Style Magazine journalist Reggie Dominique spoke with Wallace about the inspiration behind her company, the power of the kitchen as a classroom, entrepreneurship, and why she believes learning should feel like an adventure.

Reggie Dominique: What inspired you to create I’m the Chef Too!, and what problem were you hoping to solve for families?

Lisa Wallace: I’m the Chef Too! really began with my son, Ryan. When he was younger, he was diagnosed with PANDAS and ADHD, and traditional learning at school was incredibly difficult for him. As a mom and a former teacher, it was heartbreaking to watch him struggle, not because he wasn’t capable or curious, but because the way he was being taught wasn’t necessarily the way he learned best.

I had spent more than a decade teaching, and I had always loved baking, so I started combining those two parts of my life. I began taking concepts Ryan was learning in school and bringing them to life in our kitchen. Instead of simply reading about science, we could create it. Instead of just talking about a concept, he could measure it, mix it, touch it, see it transform, and, of course, taste it.

Something clicked. Learning became exciting for him because it no longer felt like learning in the traditional sense. It became an experience we could share.

That was really the beginning of I’m the Chef Too! I realized that if this approach could help my own child connect with learning, there were probably so many other families looking for the same thing. What started as a way to help Ryan eventually grew into a mission to help children everywhere discover that learning can be creative, hands-on, delicious, and fun.

RD: How did you come up with the idea of turning the kitchen into a hands-on learning laboratory?

Wallace: As a teacher, I always knew that children remember what they experience far more than what they simply read. The kitchen is actually an incredible classroom because STEM is happening everywhere: you’re measuring, observing chemical reactions, experimenting with temperature, learning about states of matter, engineering structures, and solving problems.

I realized we could take concepts that might seem complicated on paper and turn them into something children could see, touch, create, and ultimately taste. That became the heart of I’m the Chef Too!: taste what you learn.

RD: Why is the kitchen such a powerful place for children to learn beyond simply cooking?

Wallace: The kitchen gives children permission to experiment. Things don’t always go perfectly, and that’s part of what makes it such a valuable learning environment. They learn to follow directions, measure, make predictions, problem-solve, and adapt when something doesn’t turn out exactly as expected.

But there’s another piece that I think is just as important: confidence. At the end, a child can look at something and say, “I made that.” There’s a sense of accomplishment that comes from creating something with your own hands.

RD: Can you walk us through the Erupting Volcano Cakes Kit?

Wallace: The volcano experience is a great example of what we do because the learning and the “wow” moment happen together. Children aren’t just decorating a volcano-themed dessert—they’re learning about volcanoes and exploring the science behind chemical reactions, then bringing those concepts to life through their creation.

There’s an element of anticipation throughout the experience because they know something exciting is coming. I won’t spoil the finale, but the goal is always for that big STEM moment to be the part they run and tell someone else about!

RD: How do your kits encourage creativity and critical thinking while reducing screen time?

Wallace: We intentionally create experiences where children are active participants rather than passive consumers. They’re measuring, mixing, designing, experimenting, asking questions, and making decisions.

I think children are craving opportunities to use their hands and their imaginations. There is absolutely a place for technology, but there’s something incredibly valuable about stepping away from a screen and becoming completely absorbed in creating something in the real world.

RD: How does I’m the Chef Too! help families create meaningful moments despite hectic schedules?

Wallace: As a mom, I understand how busy family life can be. Parents want to create meaningful experiences with their children, but sometimes the planning, shopping, and preparation required becomes another item on an already overwhelming to-do list.

We wanted to remove as much of that work as possible. You open the box, gather around the kitchen table, and the experience is ready for you. Ultimately, we aren’t just creating an activity; we’re creating an excuse for families to slow down, laugh, learn, make a mess, and spend time together.

RD: What advice would you give someone launching a product from their kitchen or dining room table?

Wallace: Don’t wait until everything is perfect.

When you’re starting, it’s easy to look at established companies and think you need the perfect branding, website, packaging, team, and strategy before you can begin. You don’t. You need a product people genuinely want and the willingness to listen, learn, and improve it.

I started at home. I certainly didn’t have a 50,000-square-foot facility or a huge operation mapped out. I just believed deeply in the idea and kept taking the next step.

My biggest advice would be: start small, listen to your customer, stay close to your mission, and don’t be afraid to think much bigger than where you are today.

RD: How do you see hands-on learning and STEM experiences changing over the next five to ten years?

Wallace: I think hands-on learning is going to become even more important, especially as technology and AI become a larger part of children’s everyday lives.

Children will have information available to them instantly, so education can’t simply be about delivering information anymore. The real value will be teaching children how to think, how to question, experiment, create, collaborate, and solve problems.

I believe families and educators will increasingly look for experiences that bridge the digital and physical worlds while giving children opportunities to actually do something with what they’re learning. Hands-on learning develops curiosity and confidence in a way a screen alone simply can’t replicate.

RD: If families could take away one lesson after completing a kit together, what would you hope it would be?

Wallace: That learning can be joyful.

I want children to understand that curiosity doesn’t belong only in a classroom. Science is happening in their kitchen. Math is part of creating something. Mistakes can turn into discoveries. Questions can lead to adventures.

If we can help a child associate learning with excitement instead of obligation, that’s something they can carry with them long after the last bite is gone!

RD: You've built much more than a subscription box; you've created an experience that brings together education, creativity, and quality family time. When children who grew up using I’m the Chef Too! look back years from now, what do you hope they'll remember most about gathering around the kitchen table with their families?

Wallace: I hope they remember that I’m the Chef Too! made learning feel like an adventure. I want them to remember the excitement of opening each kit, discovering something new, bringing STEM concepts to life through baking, and feeling proud of what they created.

Most of all, I hope they remember that learning can be fun, creative, and something worth getting excited about!

Bring the Adventure Home

Lisa Wallace’s journey is a reminder that some of the best ideas begin with simply trying to solve a problem for the people we love. What started around her own kitchen table has grown into an experience designed to help families everywhere discover the joy of learning together.

Whether you’re looking for a creative way to introduce your child to STEM, searching for a fun screen-free activity, or simply looking for a reason to gather around the kitchen table, I’m the Chef Too! makes learning an experience the whole family can enjoy.

Ready to taste what you learn? Follow Lisa Wallace and I’m the Chef Too! on social media, explore the collection of hands-on STEM baking kits, and bring a little more curiosity, creativity, and fun into your family’s kitchen.

Because sometimes the best lessons are the ones you can make and eat together.