Marcella Ogrodnik
Duo's | Pittsburgh, PA
July 2025
Pittsburgh native Marcella Ogrodnik was raised on after-school reruns of Barefoot Contessa—early inspiration for the weeknight meals she’d cook for her mom and dad when they got home from work. Against their wishes, Ogrodnik went to culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York instead of a traditional four-year university, and, early on in her career, had her sights set on the best restaurant she could get hired at. At just 21 years old, she landed a commis position at The French Laundry under Chef Thomas Keller. Ogrodnik spent four formative years there, working her way up to the saucier station and learning the foundations of cooking in a competitive environment with high energy and high standards. In 2015, she began managing the kitchen at Delfina in San Francisco before spending a year and a half in the East Bay at Oakland’s Ramen Shop—both of which were integral to her development as a creative yet business-minded manager.
An interest in bread-baking eventually drew Ogrodnik from California to Pennsylvania, where she learned about hydration and dough-work at Philadelphia’s High Street Bakery. After a brief stint cooking at a Tuscan artist residency in Italy, Ogrodnik returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh to open a concept of her own. That concept manifested in the form of Café Agnes, a farmers market pupuseria. With the help of her husband and Salvadorian mother, she braved the weather and tents of the farmers market for a couple of years before she was approached by Duolingo, the popular language-learning app. What began as a taco stand evolved into a full-service restaurant—inspired by Mexico City— where diners could experience language and culinary immersion concurrently. At Duo's, Ogrodnik showcases her work by composing thoughtful and spirited Mexican dishes rooted in traditional techniques and flavors, like her enchiladas de pavo with mole de xico, crema, queso fresco, and onion. The essence of her leadership ethos is alive in her largely immigrant staff, with whom she works closely to mentor into passionate and responsible leaders.
