Meet Your New Neighbor: From the Classroom to the Kitchen, Ms. Sterba’s Kitchen Opens in Lemont

Ashley of Ms. Sterba's Kitchen at their Lemont location

Let’s be honest: Everyone in Lemont loves a little sweet treat and even more so, we love supporting entrepreneurs pursuing their passion.  You may have already gotten to know Parker James, a trendy boutique that opened recently at 315 E. Illinois, Lemont. Sharing the same retail space, are the creations of Ms. Sterba, a teacher-owned business that has been bringing sweet treats to Lemont for years.

Now, with her first storefront, we thought it’d be the perfect time to sit down with Ashley and introduce you to your newest neighbor–Ms. Sterba’s Kitchen aka MSK.

KG: We’ve been to the store. We’ve tried the goodies. How did this all start for you? 

AS: Well, I’m a teacher! I teach family and consumer sciences which is modern-day home ec. I have an Italian mother and I’ve grown up in the kitchen, baking and experimenting with food.  During the pandemic, I started to lose some of my passion for teaching. It wasn’t the same with logging on to Zoom for a class. So after teaching online classes all day, I’d bake. 

KG:  The pandemic was very hard on teachers so I understand that.

AS: Agreed, and I’ve always been the queen of snacks – baking things for myself to fill my purse and for friends and family. People started asking for more and Ms. Sterba’s Kitchen was born. I’ve done a lot of catering for birthdays, baby showers, and parties. Developing some shelf-stable items allowed me to prep during the week and sell during the weekend or evenings off. 

KG: I love that! And we’ve seen you around – you’ve been at Market on Canal for years. 

AS: When I did my first Market on Canal, I couldn’t believe how nice everyone was. My husband and I were looking to build a home and we hadn’t really considered Lemont, but you could just feel it in the air. I had the best time, sold a ton of products, and went out with friends at Hughie McClafferty’s afterward. Now, we find ourselves living less than a mile from downtown Lemont.

KG: What’s your best seller? 

AS: I always strive to have something for everyone so it depends on what type of person you are. If you’re a savory person, the Buffalo Chex mix – which is gluten-free! If you’re a sweet person, the cinnamon-glazed almonds which are addicting. Our caramel-twisted pretzels are the overall bestseller and folks just can’t get enough of that salty/sweet combo! 

KG: You’ve been really great about having tons of options!

AS: As a teacher, it’s what I know – making sure we have something for everyone and enough for everyone. You’ll find protein collagen balls for a post-workout snack or mid-day pick-me-up. You’ll also find chocolate-covered popcorn. It’s a balance!

KG: Is every recipe a winner? How do you decide?

AS: Growing up with an Italian Mom in the kitchen, everything is perfect but nothing is precise. There are so many times I’ve wasted ingredients and other times that I got it on the first try. I love the precision of baking but I just kept experimenting and sampling with friends and family. 

KG: They’re so lucky! Where can people find you and when? 

AS: Our catering hotline is always open at mssterbaskitchen.com and you can find us in MSK shared storefront at 315 E. Illinois with Parker James.