Rachel Halley is the Executive Pastry Sous Chef for Mercantile & Mash. Halley studied baking and pastry at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, setting her up to begin her career as head baker at Hidden Jules Café in Haymarket, VA. Since, joining the Mercantile & Mash team in 2022 Halley has become an invaluable part of the pastry team, collaborating closely with the Executive Pastry Chef to develop new desserts, ensure consistency, and support the rest of the pastry team. Her goal is to continue to strengthen her culinary skill set, while helping grow the pastry program for The Indigo Road Hospitality Group as a whole. Halley embraces the philosophy that “food should be fun,” and is not afraid to venture into new culinary territories to discover fresh and creative recipes.