Born in New Orleans and raised in the Twin Cities, Ann Nelson first grew to love all from scratch cooking and baking in her grandmother's kitchen across the river in Hudson.
After 10 years working in nonprofit management, Ann made her passion her profession in 1998, obtaining a degree in Culinary Arts and promptly landing a pastry position with D'Amico Cucina. She broadened her skills as Pastry Chef at Patisserie Margot, a gourmet bakery in Edina and tackled the foods and spices of India with The Essence of Thyme, an in-home catering business where she worked under acclaimed author and instructor Rhaghavan Iyer.
Ann managed Kitchen Window's cooking school in Uptown, Minneapolis for over 3 years before launching Ann Cooks, LLC in 2004. Ann teaches classes and facilitates team building events at the finest gourmet kitchen stores in the Twin Cities, and she has built a devoted and enthusiastic client base through a variety of culinary and event planning services.
As a gifted planner and organizer, Ann has been involved in events both large and small, ranging from the International Special Olympics to corporate events to community fundraisers. Ann doesn't miss a beat when it comes to planning and execution, ensuring your next event both achieves its business goals and makes for a fun and memorable occasion.
When she isn't doing work for her clients, Ann can most often be found planning parties for family and friends, developing new recipes, or enjoying food and wine with her husband Steve. Ann is a member of Women Who Really Cook and Les Dames D'Escoffier International.