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Our Staff
Cafe Juanita is a family - a glorious extended family of staff, guests and purveyors all committed to quality, integrity and service. We invite you to our home to enjoy the food and wine that excites us and keeps us passionate. Cafe Juanita opened in April 2000 as the dream of Chef/ owner Holly Smith. Holly feels fortunate to be surrounded by talented and passionate perfectionists who strive to create an authentic experience for all of our guests.Sous Chef Lauren Thompson
Pastry Chef Matt Kelley
Pasta Susan Raunig and Alex Schulte
Sarah Consalvi, Jim Marriott, Kristin McCauley, Mason Blackwell, Callie Graupensperger, Lori Kirkstone, David Johnson. Bussers - Tyler Smith, Alex Ortiz, Kyle Biersley
Wine Director Jason Halstenrud
Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Matt Kelley occasionally enjoyed baking as a child, but never envisioned doing so professionally. Through his teens and twenties, he held a range of jobs, including a stint as a milkman and as a professional NASCAR stock car driver, receiving significant attention in the Pacific Northwest circuit before retiring from the sport at age 27.
In 2002, Kelley changed course again, pursuing French pastry and artisan bread-making at the Seattle Culinary Academy. He worked overnight shifts in a local patisserie and made long daily commutes to work as a pastry chef at the Salish Lodge in the mountains of Snoqualmie, Washington.
In 2004 Matt moved to Chicago to expand his horizons. In Chicago, Kelley spent over two years as a pastry cook at the Four Seasons, working first in banquets, and then in the fine dining restaurant. His next move was to Bin 36, where he soon took over the pastry department and that of sister restaurant, A Mano, when it opened in 2007.
In 2008 Kelley returned home to Seattle as Pastry Chef of Rover’s, one of the city’s bastions of French fine dining.
In 2009 Matt Joined Cafe Juanita after long conversations with Holly about their mutual love of both gelato and savory components to the dessert course. He’s a tireless learner who is bringing a breath of fresh air with his innovative flavor combinations and appreciation for modern desserts—all rooted in the basics, of course.
