Meet

Rachel Elias

Meet Rachel Elias, our new wine connoisseur! 🍷 We are thrilled to have her at the shop from 11 am to 2 pm every Saturday. We can’t wait for you to experience her expertise and passion for all things wine. Continue reading for a special message from Rachel: Hey there, fellow wine lovers! I’m an Iowa native […]

Josh Thoma

Josh Thoma is one of the most acclaimed and award-winning restaurateurs in the Midwest, known for his instrumental role in creating and operating some of the region’s most celebrated dining establishments. His impressive portfolio includes La Belle Vie, Bar La Grassa, Barrio, Solera, Smack Shack, Burger Drive, The Lexington, Dahlia Kitchen + Bar, Big Sioux […]

April Johnson

Chef April Johnson has over a decade of experience in the culinary industry having worked in a variety of restaurants, platinum country clubs, a luxury resort, and most recently at the prestigious three Michelin Star restaurant The French Laundry. Chef April has competed internationally as an apprentice for the 2020 ACF National Culinary Olympic Team […]

Cat Swenson

Cat Swenson knows all things Macaroons and Chalkboard here at Plum’s! A lot of Cat’s culinary experience has come from watching YouTube videos of chefs breaking down their process of how macaroons are made. Along with all the videos, she has read a ton of cookbooks that explain the technical side of making macaroons. Growing […]

Shawna Bailey

We are so excited to have the talented Shawna join our Plum’s team! Shawna is our retail manager which involves everything from keeping the store clean, assisting customers and taking care of our staff. Q. When did you start at Plum’s? A. End of January! Q. Favorite memory or part about working at […]

Lauren Kane

Meet our lovely, Lauren! She is the best at helping our guests on the retail floor and in classes. You will find her always busy around the shop. We are so lucky to have her on our team! Q. When did you start at Plum’s? A. August 2023 Q. What do you use […]

Laurel Lather

Laurel Lather grew up learning most of the basics of cooking from her grandmother. She, then, was able to teach herself a lot and grew more in love with cooking throughout the years. When she turned 30 she decided to do a 2-year program for restaurant management. The Ragin Cajun with Justin Wilson was one […]

Kylie Klusmann

If you’ve been to a cooking class, then you’ve probably met Kylie before! Kylie joined our team in March of 2022 as a culinary assistant. Her favorite part about working the classes is getting to be around our awesome team and chefs! She states, “Every class is a different adventure and something to look forward […]

Ryan Tracy

Ryan Tracy has been in the culinary world since he was 13, and he hasn’t slowed down since. At the ripe age of 13, Tracy had an apprenticeship at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Being at Commander’s Palace not only encouraged his love for cooking, but also developed his technical skills. He also got the […]

Fatemeh Silverberg

Fatemeh Silverberg first got her passion for cooking by watching her mother cook when she was younger. Her mother was Mediterranean and made everything from scratch. She learned many techniques by cooking and baking with her, and she loved to present a beautiful tablescape. Her other culinary influences were Julie Child, Martha Stewart and Ina […]

Jordan Taylor

Jordan Taylor, a Roosevelt High School graduate, moved out to the west coast to attend Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon in the early 2000s. He was inspired early on by Emeril and Martin Yan from PBS and after dipping his toes in the industry, he found some new mentors. Cory Schreiber and Terry Traunfeld […]

Norilee Schmidt

Norilee has been the General Manager here at Plum’s since Penny took over for Caroline in 2016. When asked what her favorite thing to cook was she said, “I like Mexican food, so I enjoy making it as well.” Q. What do you use every day in your kitchen from Plum’s? A. Vitamix, skoy […]

Meet

Rachel Elias

Josh Thoma

April Johnson

Cat Swenson

Shawna Bailey

Lauren Kane

Laurel Lather

Kylie Klusmann

Ryan Tracy

Fatemeh Silverberg

Jordan Taylor

Norilee Schmidt

Let’s keep in touch.

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