Melissa Hogenson’s culinary career began auspiciously in New York City, where she graduated with distinction from the French Culinary Institute. She then landed a coveted apprenticeship at Bouley Restaurant, which eventually led to a staff position. At Bouley, she was exposed to the exacting standards of chef David Bouley, whose upbringing on his grandparents’ farm by extension gave Hogenson a taste of the culinary philosophy that would someday pervade her own ethos. After Bouley, she moved to San Francisco, where she traded savory for sweets at Le Chantilly, a traditional French patisserie. Separately, she began a catering business that counted notable San Francisco society members among its clients. By client demand, she began offering complete event-planning services. Having grown up in Olympia and attended school at Seattle University, Hogenson decided to return to Seattle. To accommodate her family life, she became a full-time event planner. Currently, she is a consultant for catering sales management & events.