After 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Hampton resident Amy Knight has transitioned into a new form of service by opening Flour Power Cooking Studios — Pittsburgh, which recently marked its first anniversary.

Her years in the Navy took her all around the globe, where she had the opportunity to try foods from different cultures. When she left active duty, she worked for a few years at the Veterans Leadership Program, a nonprofit that helps vets live full lives.

Still, she wanted to pursue her career dream.

“I knew that I wanted to be a small-business owner when I got out of the Navy, but covid set me back as far as my timeline went. I knew that I wanted to do something that I could share with my kids, and this is definitely something that they are very involved in,” Knight said.

She has always been into experimenting in the kitchen, which fits right in with what she offers at her Flour Power franchise, located in the Hampton Shoppes off Route 8.

A typical week consists of cooking classes on weekdays and birthday parties over the weekends. Classes run for about an hour and 15 minutes and start at 5:30 p.m., teaching participants in a hands-on manner and providing them with recipes to try at home.

On average, there are five to 10 birthday parties on Saturdays and Sundays, and summer camps are taking place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, with youngsters cooking, baking, conducting science experiments and more in the shop.

“Working with kids and watching them get excited about what they’re making is the best part for me,” Knight said. “When a parent comes to pick up their kid, and they’re walking out — and before they’re even out the door — the kid is so excited to tell the parent what they made and how much fun they had. Those moments are special to me.”

Her biggest challenge as a small-business owner has been budgeting, but she credits her staff as a source of comfort and support.

“My buildout went over budget, and I’m still paying for that,” she said. “I’m always a little stressed out by the financial aspect. I’ve been fortunate enough that staffing has never been an issue for me. I work a lot, myself, but my team is full of people that are always ready to step up and work.”

Knight wants people to know that Flour Power is for all ages.

“We have something for everybody,” she said. “If it’s not in the format that somebody wants, we can make it happen. I’m flexible and very interested in trying new things. We just had our first cake-decorating class the other night. We’re going to keep providing opportunities for people to learn new things.”

For more information, visit www.flourpowerstudios.com/pittsburgh.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)