Coming from a family that shows its love through food, Mary always felt a strong connection to cooking and sharing food with others.Mary attended Minneapolis Community College for culinary arts. Drawn to the artistic aspects of pastry arts, she then moved to Chicago to further her skills at the French Pastry School.
With over ten years in the Chicago restaurant scene, her experience includes working under chefs Rick Bayless, Giuseppe Tentori, and Zach Engel. Last year Mary partnered with Zach Engel and the Michelin starred team behind Galit restaurant to open Cafe Yaya where she leads the bakery and bread program. Mary has gained recognition for her desserts and pastries by incorporating flavors from her heritage and offering "not too sweet" takes on classics. Mary was nominated for the 2026 Jean Banchet Award for Best Pastry Chef.