Raised in the DMV, Chef Rebekka Baltzell got her start in restaurant kitchens while still in high school, developing an early foundation in hospitality and pastry work. She went on to attend culinary school locally, followed by an externship along Italy’s Amalfi Coast—an experience that refined her technique and solidified her focus on sweets.
Baltzell was part of Maketto’s opening team, working across Foreign National (Chef Erik Bruner-Yang’s culinary and creative group, including Maketto, Brothers and Sisters at the LINE Hotel, and ABC Pony) properties from 2015 to 2020. She later stepped away to further her education and deepen her experience in Asian-style pastries and cakes.
Over the years, she has worked in a variety of notable kitchens, including Restaurant Eve, Chateau de Chantilly, and Rose Ave Bakery. In 2025, she returned to Maketto, where she is now the chef behind the widely popular Saturday Bake Sale, a weekly offering that has become a neighborhood staple known for its rotating themes and devoted following. Chef Bekka brings influences from across food, music, and film—including her longtime love of Godzilla and BTS—into her work.
Her work has earned recognition from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, including a RAMMY Award nomination for Best Pastry Chef, as well as from StarChefs. She was also among a group of chefs invited to create custom cakes for The Phillips Collection’s 90th birthday celebration.