Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Garrelts.
Hi Megan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Some of my earliest memories are of restaurants. My uncle managed several restaurants in Dallas, and as a little girl, I loved exploring the kitchens, watching the energy of service, and seeing how food brought people together. By the time I was 15, I was working in restaurants myself, and I quickly realized there was nowhere else I wanted to be.
I eventually found my passion in pastry. I loved that baking is both creative and technical—equal parts precision and artistry. Every pie crust, cake, and pastry tells a story, and I became fascinated with creating desserts that made people feel something. To me, the best desserts aren’t overly complicated; they’re rooted in tradition, nostalgia, and the memories we all share around the table.
My career took me to Chicago, where I met my husband, Colby. We were both chefs working in the city—Colby in savory cuisine and me in pastry. Together we dreamed about building something of our own, and eventually that dream brought us to Kansas City, where we opened Bluestem in 2004. It was the beginning of an incredible journey that would shape both our careers.
Over the years, I was fortunate to be recognized as a multiple-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, and my recipes have appeared in publications including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, and Saveur. While those honors are incredibly meaningful, what has always mattered most to me is the opportunity to create memorable experiences for our guests.
In 2012, Colby and I opened Rye with a simple vision: celebrate the comfort foods of the Midwest and honor the recipes that have been passed down through generations. The pies, cinnamon rolls, cakes, and desserts became an important part of that story, and it has been incredibly rewarding to see so many guests make them part of their own family traditions.
Today, I wear many hats. I’m still a pastry chef at heart, but I’m also a business owner, mentor, employer, and mother. Running restaurants has taught me that success isn’t just about the food—it’s about building a team, supporting people, and creating places where both guests and employees feel at home.
One of the dreams I’ve carried for years is now becoming reality with the opening of Cornflower Baked Goods. It’s a chance to share the pastries I’ve spent my career perfecting in a space dedicated entirely to baking—from flaky pies and cinnamon rolls to sandwiches, coffee, and seasonal treats. Cornflower represents everything I’ve learned throughout my journey while honoring where it all began: a love of simple, honest baking made with care.
Looking back, I never imagined that the young girl wandering through restaurant kitchens would one day own multiple restaurants and a bakery. But every early morning, every challenge, every lesson, and every guest has helped shape who I am today.
At the end of the day, I still believe the best moments happen around a table. If something I’ve baked becomes part of your celebration, your family tradition, or simply makes your day a little sweeter, then I’ve done exactly what I set out to do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
People often assume the biggest challenge in opening a restaurant is creating the menu. For me, that was the easy part.
The real challenge was building a business.
When Colby and I opened Bluestem in 2004, we did it on an incredibly tight budget. We didn’t have deep-pocketed investors or a large support team. Every purchase mattered, every expense was carefully considered, and every decision carried real financial consequences. There were plenty of sleepless nights wondering how we were going to make payroll, pay vendors, or simply keep the doors open.
At the same time, we were learning entirely new roles.
Colby was leading his first independent kitchen, developing a culinary identity while managing a team and maintaining the standards we believed in. I quickly realized that being a pastry chef was only one small part of what it meant to own a restaurant.
Overnight, I became responsible for accounting, payroll, human resources, purchasing, scheduling, marketing, guest relations, and countless operational details that no one teaches you in culinary school. Every day presented a new challenge, and many lessons came through trial and error.
There were moments when we questioned ourselves. There were setbacks, unexpected expenses, and days when the weight of owning a business felt overwhelming. But those experiences forced us to become better leaders, better operators, and better partners.
Looking back, those difficult years became our greatest education. They taught us resilience, financial discipline, humility, and the importance of surrounding ourselves with great people. More importantly, they reminded us that success isn’t built on one great service or one great recipe—it’s built through consistency, perseverance, and the willingness to keep learning, even when things don’t go as planned.
Those early struggles shaped every decision we’ve made since. They influenced how we lead our teams, how we grow our businesses, and how we approach new ventures like Rye and Cornflower Baked Goods.
Today, when people ask what it takes to build a successful restaurant, my answer is simple: passion gets you started, but perseverance keeps you going.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work has always centered around celebrating American baking through a Midwestern lens. As a pastry chef and co-owner of Rye Restaurants and Cornflower Baked Goods, I specialize in classic American desserts—pies, cakes, cookies, cobblers, breads, and pastries that evoke a sense of nostalgia while showcasing exceptional ingredients and refined technique.
I’ve always believed that the best desserts don’t need to be overly complicated. What sets them apart is the care behind them: hand-made pie crusts, seasonal fruit at its peak, balanced sweetness, and recipes that honor tradition while elevating the final product. My goal is to create desserts that feel familiar yet memorable—the kind people crave long after they’ve left the table.
Over the course of my career, I’ve been fortunate to be recognized as a multiple-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, but what I’m most proud of is building businesses that have become part of our community’s traditions. Seeing families celebrate birthdays with one of our cakes, gather around a Rye pie at Thanksgiving, or make our cinnamon rolls part of their holiday mornings is incredibly meaningful to me.
As a restaurant owner, my role has grown far beyond pastry. I oversee branding, marketing, operations, and business development alongside my husband, Colby, but baking remains at the heart of everything I do. Cornflower Baked Goods is the culmination of that passion—a bakery dedicated to handcrafted American baked goods made from scratch every day.
I think what sets me apart is my commitment to preserving and elevating American desserts. While many pastry chefs focus on European techniques or highly modern presentations, I’ve devoted my career to proving that a perfectly executed apple pie, coconut cream pie, cinnamon roll, or chocolate cake can be every bit as special. Those desserts tell stories. They create memories. They’re the recipes people pass down through generations, and it’s an honor to help keep those traditions alive while introducing them to a new generation of guests.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that talent alone isn’t enough. You can be an incredible chef or baker, but if you want to build a career—or especially your own business—you also need to understand the business side of hospitality. I wish someone had told me early on to learn accounting, food costs, labor management, marketing, and leadership with the same enthusiasm I had for perfecting a pie crust.
I’d also encourage young chefs to be patient. We live in a world where everyone wants to become an executive chef or open a restaurant as quickly as possible, but there’s tremendous value in taking the time to master your craft. Every station you work, every mentor you learn from, and every mistake you make becomes part of your foundation.
Don’t be afraid of hard work or failure. Some of my greatest lessons came from the moments that didn’t go as planned. Those challenges taught me resilience, humility, and how to adapt—qualities that have been just as important as any recipe I’ve ever developed.
Finally, remember why you chose this profession. Hospitality is about caring for people. Whether you’re baking a birthday cake, serving a slice of pie, or creating a special meal, you’re often becoming part of someone’s memory or celebration. Never lose sight of that. If you focus on serving others with genuine care and continue learning every day, success has a way of following.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ryekc.com
- Instagram: @rye_kc / @megangarrelts / @cornflowerbakedgoods
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyeKS/ | https://www.facebook.com/ryekcplaza/ | https://www.facebook.com/CornflowerBakedGoods/
- Twitter: @rye_kc
