Melanie was first introduced to baking through her grandmother Mable who was a baker in New York. She received a Culinary Arts degree from Art Institute International of Minnesota, and a Baking and Pastry degree from Johnson & Wales University.

Melanie has 10 years of fine dining restaurant experience specializing in pastries and desserts. She has worked for some of the most prominent Twin Cities chefs and created dessert menus for James Beard Award recipients Chef Tim McKee (La Belle Vie), Chef Isaac Becker (Bar La Grassa) and Chef Gavin Kaysen (Spoon and Stable). Melanie also consulted at Barbette and was the interim Pastry Chef at Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant.

In 2015 Melanie decided to take a leap of faith and launch The Perfect Piece Sweets Co. redefining old school desserts. She supports local farmers and vendors to ensure the freshest ingredients for maximum taste. Melanie believes that if it’s not made from scratch then it’s not the perfect piece.