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.

Kitchen
Chef de Cuisine Stuart Lane
Pastry Chef Sara Novesky
Cooks Kjell Holmberg, Christian Poulsen, Jason Patel, Kylie Smith, Josie Urbick
Prep David Solis
Pasta/Crackers Lauren Thompson
Dining Room
Sarah Consalvi, Jim Marriott, Annie Thiemens, Jason Halstenrud, Kristin McCauley, Mason Blackwell, Callie Graupensperger, Heidi Gates, Tyler Smith
Wine Director Jason Halstenrud

Kitchen

Pastry and Bread
Sara Novesky is originally from the Bay Area. She relocated to Seattle in 1992 to attend UW on a swimming scholarship. After completing her BS in Zoology, she wasn't quite convinced that she wanted to enter into the veterinary field, or scrub the cages at the Zoo...so began her foray into the culinary world.

Sara worked in a bakery for three years and then decided to formalize her training. She attended the CIA baking and pastry program and was hired by Cafe Juanita upon her return to Seattle. Sara was hired as a line cook but soon began making bread and feeding a wild starter. She quickly convinced Holly that her bread was better than what they were buying and so Holly took a chance, cancelled the bread order, and the next morning, the kitchen at Cafe Juanita became a bakery.

Sara worked as the pastry chef and baker at Cafe Juanita for two years before moving to Ithaca, NY with her husband. While in Ithaca, she worked as the Pastry Chef at the eclectic Pangea Restaurant. Sara returned to Cafe Juanita in June of 2006.