Marisa Nivatvongs is originally from Minnesota. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from St. Olaf College. A month before graduating from St. Olaf, Marisa realized that her true calling was in the culinary field.

Marisa worked as a sushi chef for just over a year before heading off to The Culinary Institute of America.

Like Chef Todd Philbrook, Nivatvongs also earned two degrees from the CIA. She graduated with honors from the culinary program and received the Wine Spectator Scholarship for being one of the top students. While in CIA's baking and pastry program, Nivatvongs received the most outstanding baker of 2000 award.

Upon graduating from the CIA, Nivatvongs returned to Minneapolis and worked as a pastry chef in some of the top restaurants in the Twin Cities. She then moved to Las Vegas where she worked as the assistant pastry chef at Neiman Marcus, where she opened two restaurants.

Executive Pastry Chef Philbrook, a Las Vegas native, completed his classical training at the internationally renowned Culinary Institute of America, arguably the world’s greatest culinary institute and source of today’s top chefs around the globe. He is among the select few students at the Institute who have earned two CIA degrees, one in culinary arts and one in baking and pastry arts.

This training makes him especially valued at Marie’s Gourmet Bakery, where clients often consult with Chef Philbrook on menu planning and coordinating flavor profiles for maximum impact and presentation.

Within a matter of a few short years, Chef Philbrook’s rapid advancement and distinction in the industry led to the invitation to teach at the CIA. Chef Philbrook spent six years as an advanced pastry instructor at the CIA on a team of the world’s best patissiers and bakers training subsequent generations of chefs to come.

In Las Vegas, his resume includes numerous chef positions, including the MGM Mirage Corporation and Park Place Entertainment. These are two of the extensive network of local ties that proves a tremendous resource for clients in search of an elite level of service for their patisserie needs.

For clients whose guests have acclimated their palates to the nation's top tables coast-to-coast, local bakeries cannot often foot the bill. Chef Philbrook has served as executive pastry chef at acclaimed properties across the country, providing the necessary diverse, creative repertoire of products and services today’s Las Vegas customers demand:

•The Red Sage Restaurant in Washington, D.C. – rated America’s No. 1 restaurant in its first year of opening
•The Crescent Court Hotel in Dallas, Texas – rated No. 1 hotel and resort in the United States
•The Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee – a five-star, five-diamond property where Chef Philbrook orchestrated baking and pastry for three four-star restaurants and 2,500 guests daily

Chef Philbrook takes personal care of your event from start to finish, ensuring excellence far exceeding the comfort zones of other competitors. His experience includes three years at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., serving the toughest guests and critics the U.S. has to offer. His responsibilities included an $8 million budget, two restaurants, 300 monthly private dining events, and a 5,000 total guest capacity.

Chef Philbrook’s performance in national and international competitions has earned him his reputation as well. He has earned gold medals in the New York Food Salon, and International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Association, and has received media recognition by CBS and the Washington Post.