For the staff at Modern Stone Age in Chestertown, Maryland, birthdays are celebrated with one-of-a-kind creations from founder Dr. Bill Schindler.
Modern Stone Age is a health-conscious restaurant, bakery, and educational food lab located in historic Chestertown, Maryland, where everything is made 100 percent from scratch.
Dr. Bill Schindler, an internationally recognized food archaeologist, chef, and author, and Christina Schindler, an experienced educator and business leader, are the dynamic husband-and-wife team behind Modern Stone Age.
Taking a holistic approach to food, Modern Stone Age Kitchen embraces ancestral techniques to maximize nutrition and minimize waste. They utilize every part of the animal through a nose-to-tail approach and employ wild fermentation for sourdough, vegetables, and dairy. By sourcing local, seasonal ingredients, they support their community and reduce their environmental impact.
At Modern Stone Age, celebrating the team in the best way possible is a ritual. Every staff member gets a special birthday dessert, but not just any dessert. Bill recreates a healthy version of their favorite treat using real, wholesome ingredients that nourish both body and soul.
“We take birthdays and the tradition of making people feel special on their special day very seriously,” says Bill. “In addition to balloons, decorations, and a small gift, we celebrate by allowing each team member to choose their favorite dessert.”
The dish is then recreated using Modern Stone Age guiding food principles. While the list is extensive, a few key examples include:
- All flour undergoes a long, wild sourdough fermentation.
- Seeds, nuts, grains, and legumes are soaked, sprouted, nixtamalized, and/or fermented.
- No refined sugars—we use only natural, nourishing sweeteners.
- Dairy is always fermented.
- Everything is made entirely from scratch.
The Schindlers note that the tradition not only honors team members but also connects them to their own family traditions and childhood memories, reimagined in a way that is both deeply nostalgic and incredibly nourishing.
Modern Stone Age Kitchen
236 Cannon Street, Chestertown
ModernStoneAgeKitchen.com
410-996-4776
Facebook.com/modernstoneagekitchen
Instagram @modernstoneagekitchen
