Pastry Chef Alyssa Gangeri

Alyssa Gangeri is a classically trained pastry chef whose career spans Michelin-starred kitchens, entrepreneurial ventures, and innovative gluten-free creations. Growing up on Cape Cod, she learned to bake for her large Italian family — a love of food that led her to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America and work alongside culinary legends including Norman Van Aken, Antonio Bachour, Gray Kunz, and Tom Colicchio.

Her experience ranges from luxury resorts like the Ritz-Carlton South Beach to running Roosevelt Island’s only bar for a decade, while also consulting for high-profile celebrity events with Master Pastry Chef Frank Vollkommer. In 2015, she became a published author with Mimi’s Adventures in Baking, the first-ever children’s storybook cookbook series.

After a celiac diagnosis in 2017, Gangeri adapted her craft, pioneering methods that allowed her to continue creating pastries without gluten exposure. In 2018, she joined forces with UrbanGrub in Nashville — not only becoming a partner and Executive Pastry Chef of The Butter Milk Ranch, but the creative force behind its concept. The restaurant quickly earned national acclaim, being named one of the Top 100 Brunch Restaurants in America in 2024.

Gangeri’s artistry has been recognized with some of the industry’s highest honors, including the StarChefs Rising Star Award for Outstanding Baker (2022) and the Culinary Excellence in Foodservice Award from the International Fresh Produce Association. Today, she continues to blur the line between sweet and savory with creations like the “C’reuben” sandwich and laminated “Breakfast Cubes,” driven by equal parts precision, creativity, and the belief that limitations inspire innovation.