About Kate

 

Pastry Chef Kate Neumann draws inspiration from the central role food played in her childhood. “Dining was integral to my family. We cooked together almost every evening and then gathered around the table for our home-cooked meal,” she shares.

After graduating from Vanderbilt University, Kate pursued Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu Chicago (CHIC), where she discovered her passion for pastry. She trained at Chicago’s Bittersweet and Blackbird before apprenticing under acclaimed pastry chef Mindy Segal at mk Restaurant, where she was later promoted to head pastry chef. At mk, she developed a distinctive style, adding wit and whimsy to classic desserts.

As pastry chef at Lula Café, Kate expanded into savory baking, brunch specials, and seasonal jams, deepening her connection to farm-to-table cuisine. She later founded a consulting business, helping clients like Boka and Rapoport’s Restaurant Group refine their pastry programs. Her diverse career includes recipe testing for Food52, coordinating culinary events for IACP, and assisting Chef Grant Achatz in editing the Alinea cookbook.  Kate’s work has been recognized in Food & Wine, Time Out, Food Arts, Pastry Art & Design, and on the Food Network and ABC News.

Longing for the close, personal nature of cooking propelled Kate back to her own kitchen to expand At the Kitchen Door to include customizing, creating, and delivering handmade sweets and specialty catering directly to local clientele.  Kate is available to discuss your vision and needs and to collaborate to create your unique fare.