Master Baker Melissa Weller, a Central Pennsylvania native, is the operating partner and head baker of Manhattan’s acclaimed all-day American eatery and bakery, High Street on Hudson. Weller has been nationally recognized for her baking prowess and was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Baker” award in 2016.

As a child, Weller loved to bake and could often be found at her mother’s side in the kitchen. Her passion for food and cooking blossomed while living in and traveling throughout France and, after college, Weller’s culinary career began when she enrolled in the French Culinary Institute (FCI). Weller went on to become a founding partner and creator of bagel-centric restaurant Sadelle’s, which capitalized on her cult following thanks to a stint at Williamsburg’s famed Smorgasburg market with her hand-rolled bagels. She also developed the much-lauded bread program at Brooklyn landmark Roberta’s, relying on the restaurant’s outdoor, wood-fired oven to craft an all-weather menu of baked goods that continues to entice visitors in droves even today. Her expertise was hard-won; she also served as head baker at Thomas Keller’s Per Se and Bouchon Bakery.

Weller later consulted at Philadelphia’s acclaimed Walnut Street Café. Her baked goods received rave reviews from local critics, and she was named “Best Pastry Chef 2018” by Philadelphia Magazine. After her stint consulting in Philadelphia, Weller found a home base in the West Village at High Street on Hudson.

Today, Weller is proud to lead High Street on Hudson both with her acclaimed breads and pastries and by her leadership expertise. Also to note, Weller’s first cookbook will also be published by Knopf in 2020. Outside of High Street on Hudson, Weller can be found spending time with her son and four pugs.