meet the team
Julia’s path to minibar began in Baltimore, where she worked in fine dining and at a cake shop before studying Baking and Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America. Wanting to challenge herself in a Michelin-recognized dining scene, she chose Washington, D.C.—close to family but full of opportunity—over a restaurant job anywhere else. Drawn to the precision and high expectations of fine dining, she found minibar to be the perfect place to push herself and thrive.
Her days begin early, with the quiet of the kitchen as her canvas. She balances long projects like steeping and setting with countless smaller tasks, multitasking to bring every sweet moment of minibar’s menu to life. While Julia treasures the stillness of the early hours, when the kitchen is hers alone, there is nothing like the spark of energy that fills the room as the PM chefs arrive, bringing the space to life. That shared passion and focus of one mission, one team, one dream, fuels her creativity and keeps her thriving in an environment that demands nuance, playfulness, and precision in equal measure.
Julia’s favorite creations lean fruit-forward and playful, flipping classics on their heads. A Peach Melba soon to appear on the menu feels especially personal, echoing her longtime love of peach cobbler and marking a full-circle moment in her career. Outside the kitchen, her creativity spills into costume design and cosplay, a tactile outlet that balances her pastry work while keeping her imagination alive.