In celebration of Women’s History Month, we spotlight the remarkable talents of women chefs, bartenders, and other food and beverage professionals shaping the culinary community in and around Pittsburgh. Woven into the city’s iconic bridges and bustling neighborhoods is a vibrant scene enriched by the creativity and innovation of female pros. At the helm of cozy cafes and upscale eateries alike, these visionary professionals are not only crafting delectable dishes but also a new, unique perspective. Through their fierce passion for flavors, dedication to craftsmanship, and commitment to excellence, these women are leaving an incredible mark on Pittsburgh’s restaurant scene and beyond. Join us as we celebrate the creations of just a few of Pittsburgh’s trailblazing restaurant professionals, whose contributions embody the spirit of empowerment that characterizes Women’s History Month.
Honoring Women Food and Beverage Professionals in Pittsburgh
Jamilka Borges and Dianne DeStefano at Lilith
Who’s ready for some Sicilian and Puerto Rican home cooking? Chefs Jamilka Borges and Dianne DeStefano came together to create the restaurant Lilith. It’s an homage to their cultural heritage and a place for the two to experiment with blending their different styles. Stop in to try their signature coastal cuisine like their Swordfish with carrot, bok choy, mussels, and tamarind-shellfish broth. We recently enjoyed their Tuna Tartare appetizer. It is divine, too.
Ginger Fisher Baldwin at Balvanera
One of the latest additions to the Strip District Terminal is Argentinian restaurant Balvanera. After you’ve devoured one of their incredible steaks, you won’t want to miss dessert from Pastry Chef Ginger Fisher Baldwin. Whether you wish to try a classic Flan or switch things up with her Tarta de Chocolate, it’s all made with love.
Rebecca Romagnoli at Forma Pasta
Fresh, handmade pasta may be one of the best dishes for a weeknight meal. If you’re craving that tender, flavorful bite, Owner and Chef Rebecca Romagnoli has just the plate for you. All the pasta you see either in the Forma Pasta marketplace or restaurant is made in-house. Sit down to a meal of Gnocchi with burrata, fresh herbs, and bolognese sauce or grab a bundle of fettuccine to make at home.
Jen Saffron at Sprezzatura
Sit down to a family meal from the solar powered kitchen at Sprezzatura that keeps both sustainability and farm-sourced Italian home cooking eating in mind. Dine on traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs, delight in the cheesiness of Stuffed Shells, and know you’re tasting organic, local fare that’s been sustainably sourced.
Selina Progar at Eleven
Have you ever ordered a chocolate bar for dessert? Well you’re about to because Pastry Chef Selina Progar at Eleven is a master with chocolate. For her signature Chocolate Bar (whose flavor changes seasonally), she uses chocolate sable cookie, vanilla bean ermine buttercream, cookies & cream diplomat, black velvet chili sponge, chocolate fudge. It’s an elegant take on your favorite guilty pleasure and the perfect way to finish Eleven’s seasonal menu. Read all about the seven chocolate recipes she made for TABLE with one giant chocolate bar!
Rachel Sinagra at Fig and Ash
General Manager and Beverage Director Rachel Sinagra works to match seasonal flavors with the best spirits available to create killer cocktails. She uses unusual ingredients like green goddess syrup, pickled grapefruit, and cardamom oil for unique, sophisticated combinations. If you’re ready to get into the spring season, try the A Berry Unmerry Birthday. It’s a balance of Bourbon, Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur, wild berry tea, elderflower syrup, and lemon deliciousness. Or perhaps you’ll be very lucky and her Beauty School Dropout Negroni will be on the menu! We love that one.
Kate Romane at Black Radish Kitchen
Chef Kate Romane at Black Radish Kitchen wants to make sure that your next event has veggie forward, specially crafted dishes. Plan a pasta party that features homemade Orecchiette Lemon Pecorino. Or, make sure there’s a big bowl of Roasted Veggies available at your next gathering. And of course, we can’t forget their varieties of fresh baked bread like their delectable focaccia. We really enjoy getting a party started with her party-sized Crab Cakes.
Casey Renee at Confections by Casey Renee
Two-time James Beard Semifinalist Pastry Chef Casey Renee has more than a few tricks up her sleeve when it comes to her delicious confections. Not only are her flavors packed with a punch, but the aesthetics of her designs feed the eyes as much as they do the mouth. Create a cake for your next birthday party with your selection of cake flavor, buttercream, and filling. Or, pick up a selection of her chocolate and cake truffles. We are partial to her cookies, too!
Jackie Page at Jackie Kennedy Catering
Southern-style home cooking finds a true champion in Chef Jackie Page. Her secret ingredient? Lots of passion and love inspired by her family and beyond. One bite of her Fried Chicken or her Ravioli with Sautéed Vegetables and Scallops and you’ll feel like you’re down in the South with the sun beating down. Not to mention, her charcuterie and fruit boards stun with bright colors and great eats.
Jacqueline Schoedel at The Speckled Egg
Who doesn’t love brunch? While you can enjoy breakfast any day at The Speckled Egg, their weekend Brunch Menu is a big hit. Co-Owner and Chef Jacqueline Schoedel brings a delightful plate of fresh produce and farm-fresh eggs right to your table. Feast on Goat Cheese Omelettes, Brown Butter French Toast, and Fried Chicken Biscuit on your next weekend outing. One of the reasons we love Chef Jacqueline dates back to Lamb Fest 2019, when she and her teammates presented a legendarily delicious Lamb Sloppy Joe. We’re still thinking about it.
Kate Lasky at Apteka
Vegetables are the star of the show at Apteka. In fact, you won’t find meat anywhere on the menu. James Beard Finalist and Chef Kate Lasky focuses on vegan dishes with a Central and Eastern European touch. Pick a few small plates to share like Kanapka which is an open faced rye toast with a combination of three pâté and a cabbage slaw. Or split a big plate of their potato and cabbage Pierogies made with onion, smoked chili oil, carrot, and salsa. You might whip up a batch of Apteka’s Chlodnik at home and savor Apteka’s unique layering of flavors with your family.
Michaela Blaney at Mic’s Market
What if you could stop and pick up a healthy, freshly made sandwich on your way to work? Mic’s Market makes that a reality by providing a stocked deli case, breakfast burritos, a hot food bar, and smoothie bar. Michaela Blaney runs the operation and makes recipes that everyone can grab and enjoy on the go. Next time you’re in a rush, stop by and try their Flank Steak with Chimichurri ready to go on the rotating hot foods bar.
Patti Danforth at Feast on Brilliant
Get your grocery shopping and weeknight dinner done in one shopping trip. Owned by Chef Patti Danforth, this specialty foods market incorporates some of the newest and trendy products, all which embrace quality and flavor. With an ever-changing menu, you never know what the chefs at Feast on Brilliant will prepare. Maybe their Famous Meatloaf will be available, Or, a new Feast Sandwich featuring the upcoming notes of the spring season.
Trang Nguyen at Bunny Bakes & Specialty Coffee
Pastry Chef and Head Baker Trang Nguyen fills the Bunny Bakes cafe with tons of yummy treats made from scratch. From muffins to chocolate dip specialties, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, and challah bread. She even bakes up gluten-free brownies, cookies, and muffins so that no one feels left out when they step into this cafe. Stop in to try her signature Chocolate Rugelach, Cinnamon Buns, and Apple Turnover.
Lori Di Battista and Martine Di Battista at Vivo Kitchen
Comfort food and friendly service makes for a great weeknight dining experience at Vivo Kitchen. The family in charge of Vivo includes Lori Di Battista and Martine Di Battista. Lori makes the desserts. Martine introduced veggie and vegan entrées to the menu a while back. One such dish, their Pan-roasted Forest Mushrooms appetizer, is a mixture of oyster, baby bella and king trumpet mushrooms which are roasted before adding salt and pepper, and then picked up in a ripping hot pan to get the edges of the mushrooms a little bit brown and crispy. They’re plated with dolce gorgonzola cheese and topped with chopped green onions. If you enjoy meat, try the Crispy Garlic Chicken. It’s been on the menu for ages for a good reason: It’s fantastic.
Csilla Thackray at Titusz
After working at worked at Bar Marco, The Vandal with Chef Joey Hilty, Churchview Farm, and Fet-Fisk, Csilla Thackray is now opening her open restaurant Titusz. This new restaurant mixes Austro-Hungarian cuisine with new methods to elevate these traditional dishes. Later this fall, she’ll premiere recipes like paprikash and stuffed cabbage along with a few of her own new creations. Definitely keep an eye out for when you can dine and try this cultural cuisine for yourself!
RaeLynn Harshman Gigler at Dish Osteria
Bar Manager at Dish Osteria, RaeLynn Harshman Gigler crafts elevated cocktails using local spirits. Her Dirty Dish Martini uses Parking Chair Vodka from Lawrenceville Distilling alongside olive brine and mountain gorgonzola stuffed olives. Or, maybe you’d like to try something a bit more experimental like their Lambrusco Spritz with Lo-Fi Amaro, Amara Rosso, grapefruit, dry Lambrusco, castelvetrano olives, and an orange slice.
Erika Bruce, Chloe Newman, and Bath Taylor at Third Space Bakery
This trio of professional bakers made Third Space Bakery to not only get their goods out to the world but to also bring classes and demonstrations to home chefs around Pittsburgh. Their kitchen is about creating delicious, nutritious food as well as connecting emotionally over the practices of cooking, baking, and eating. Stop in to try their handmade loaves of bread and selection of pastries which both vary throughout the week. Plus, keep an eye out on their social media for weekly specials that only stick around for a short time.
Kaitlin Fellers at Novo Asian Food Hall
Novo Asian Food Hall wows customers with its selection of food but its bar program is what brings each dish to life. Beverage Manager Kaitlin Fellers serves up a menu inspired by pop culture elements like the My Chemical Rodance and Our Old Pal Gojira. Each of these cocktails uses the finest Asian liquors to bring out the flavors of whatever meal you may choose. Her creativity leaves you satisfied not only physically but emotionally as well.
Olive Visco at Polska Laska
If you live in Pittsburgh, chances are you’re a big fan of pierogies and at Polska Laska. That’s their specialty. Owner and Chef Olive Visco hand-makes these little pockets of potato alongside other polish cuisine like haluski and kielbasa. She also rotates pierogi flavors and the entire menu based on each season. Even if you happen to be vegan you can still enjoy her pierogies in potato and onion or sauerkraut and mushroom varieties.
Alekka Sweeney at Chef Alekka LLC
Instead of going to a restaurant, let the chef come to you! Chef Alekka Sweeney curates at-home chef experiences, cooking classes, and catering for private events that showcase a custom five course menu and wine pairing. Some of her cooking classes (which can even take place right in your own home) include knife skills, pasta from scratch, easy appetizers, cupcake decorating, and making bagels/pretzels.
Amnelis Cruz at Spirits and Tales
When your bar’s home is in a classic French brasserie restaurant, it takes a special person to bring that experience to life. Amnelis Cruz leads the bar team in constructing a cocktail menu that takes the traditional drinks you know and love and elevates them with craft ingredients. Their exclusive Spirit of the Oak Old Fashioned uses their own private select batch of Maker’s Mark Bourbon, all-spiced cinnamon syrup, chocolate bitters, orange bitters, Hellfire bitters, and smoke with hickory wood. One sip helps you realize cocktails are so much more than just liquor and a mixer. Try her milk-washed bourbon celebration of upcoming film Snow White: The Wicked Apple.
Katrina Tomacchio at Loaded Food Group
The mocktail queen herself Katrina Tomacchio, also known as the Northeast Ginger, is the owner of Loaded Food Group, known for LOADED and TOMA at Lawrence Hall food hall. She helps with the creative side of things for both restaurants and even mixes up outstanding mocktails that have won her awards. Besides Lawrence Hall, you can catch her hosting her Mocktail Meetup group around various establishments in Pittsburgh.
Jamie Cumberledge at Esquina Cantina
Esquina Cantina’s bar program not only creates a number of signature cocktails, they also make their own micheladas. With the help of Jamie Cumberledge, this bar and restaurant has made a name for itself with its extensive agave spirits list and seemingly endless beverage options. Try something truly different with their Tomado del Sol which includes El Güel gin, Banhez mezcal, rosemary, tomato, dry sack sherry, lemon, and guajillo oil. Talk about a cocktail that’s just as extensive and thought out as your meal. While it’s an ambitious recipe for an at home mixologist, take a look at With Whiz, the 2025 Super Bowl cocktail she made to celebrate the champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sherree Goldstein at Square Cafe
Not only has Sherree Goldstein created a delicious space in Square Cafe but she’s also created a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond. Her cafe has become a place where those in the neighborhood can flock to no matter their sexuality, gender, or race and find community. Their cuisine and beverages push the boundaries of what you would imagine a breakfast/brunch cafe to be with fresh, local ingredients. On top of Square Cafe, she is also opening a women’s sports bar called Title 9. This area adjacent to Square Cafe will feature women’s games on the television as well as new recipes for comfort bar snacks.
Jessica Bauer at Altius
High above Mt. Washington sits Altius, a modern and refined restaurant with food by Executive Chef and Partner Jessica Bauer. Her creative, seasonal dishes take from diverse backgrounds to make something brand new you’ve likely never tried before. Everything she makes is to show guests how unique and stimulating food can be. Head in to try her Barolo Braised Lamb Shank or Vegan Wild Mushroom Papillote, two recipes that use the freshest, most sustainable ingredients to bring you the best flavor possible. Though there’s much more to explore even including gluten-free and vegetarian options throughout the menu.
Story by Kylie Thomas
Photo courtesy of John Fornander
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