Meet the Chefs & Owners

With years of restaurant industry and small-scale business experience in New Jersey and New York, Chefs Brian Martinez and Veruska Samanez decided it was time to take their combine their superpowers and open a brick & mortar spot of their own in the wonderful melting pot community that is Montclair, NJ. Born and raised in North NJ, they set down roots nearby nearly 10 years ago, where they are raising their infant son and 2 pups.

Veruska

Proud grad of the Culinary Institute of America in New York (where she met her future husband and now chef business partner) with a degree in Baking and Pastry and also in Business Management.

You may know Veru if you've ordered custom cakes & cookies from her brain-child business, Cake + Flourish, that she ran out of her local home. Or perhaps you've seen her on TV as a competitor in Food Network's Spring Baking Championship Season 7 (Spring 2021).

Veruska looks forward to greeting you with her signature smile and crafting the most delightful creations you've ever tasted!

Brian

CIA alum with a degree in Culinary Arts who has tracked an impressive career path working in several premier restaurants in New York City and New Jersey — including Fleming’s in Edgewater and Harvest Restaurant Group as Executive Chef.

Brian’s love of artistry, gift for delighting in the kitchen, paired with calm charisma is sure to leave an impression with dining guests.