Pastry Chef Meg Galus of Park Hyatt Chicago - Biography

Meg Galus began her culinary career as a pint-sized, pretend chef-owner in her Illinois home, drafting daily menus, cooking, and enforcing a strict “no dine-and-dash” policy at the family dinner table. She first graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts before graduating from The French Pastry School in Chicago in 2005.

Galus began her career at Vanille Patisserie in Chicago for two years and then worked for three years as the pastry chef at Tru, where she honed her technique under Chicago pastry pillar Gale Gand. Galus’ work began to draw attention: in addition to her nomination for a Jean Banchet Best Rising Pastry Chef Award in 2009 and 2010, she was a featured guest chef on Holland America Cruise Lines and also was invited to conceptualize and execute the desserts and mignardises at a James Beard dinner featuring Tru chefs.

Galus joined Sofitel Chicago Water Tower in June 2010 as Executive Pastry Chef. There she managed pastry for banquets, catering services, and room service, as well as the hotel’s modern French restaurant, Café des Architectes.

Today Galus can be found leading the pastry team at NoMI Kitchen at the Chicago Park Hyatt. An admitted perfectionist, Galus would contentedly while away the hours crafting macaroons or tempering chocolates. And her belief that “pastry sustains the soul” means that she’s not content until she’s hit the right combination of French technique, comforting familiarity, and the joy of surprise with her pastry.