Elana has had a lifelong love for baking that began in her family kitchen, making holiday meals alongside her mom using cherished generational recipes. She got her start in the restaurant world as a banquet server in Southern California, all while baking cakes for neighbors’ birthdays. After studying baking and pastry at the CIA, she moved to Austin, TX, and a few years later launched Iced Cakes, a bespoke wedding cake studio known for its intricate sugar flowers and custom designs.

During the pandemic, Elana discovered a box of her great-grandmother’s recipe cards and founded Nana Mary’s Bakeshop, a mail-order babka service. Her inventive takes—like Hatch Pimento Cheese and Miso Dulce de Leche—gained a devoted following. After two years, she returned full-time to weddings, but ultimately stepped away after seven years to rediscover her creative spark.

That spark led to her debut cookbook, With Love & Babka, published by Simon & Schuster which celebrates her playful and modern spin on a beloved classic. Just before the book’s release, Elana, her husband, and their pup relocated to Asheville, NC, where they’re opening Piccolina—a cozy restaurant celebrating wood-fired cooking, handmade pastas, and soft serve ice cream.