Mary Attea

Chef Mary Attea's culinary journey began at her family's dinner table in Buffalo, New York, where her Lebanese heritage instilled a deep appreciation for food and hospitality. While her initial plans led her to New York City for graduate school in criminal psychology, she quickly found herself drawn to the restaurant industry. After working front-of-house at Aquagrill, she enrolled in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, embarking on her path to becoming a chef.

Her first kitchen experience was at Annisa under the mentorship of Chef Anita Lo. As Annisa's sous chef, she earned a semifinalist nomination for the Eater Young Guns award in 2014, while the restaurant garnered a third New York Times star and maintained its Michelin Star. Following Annisa's closure in 2017, Attea honed her skills in various kitchens, including Vic's under Chef Hilary Sterling. She then took her first Executive Chef role at High Street on Hudson before accepting the position at The Musket Room.

Shortly after joining The Musket Room and revamping its menu, the pandemic hit. The shutdown allowed Attea time to refine her culinary vision. Her efforts proved fruitful, as The Musket Room retained its Michelin star, and Attea received widespread acclaim. She earned a James Beard nomination for "Best Chef: New York State," garnered a glowing review from Pete Wells, and secured a spot on his "100 Best Restaurants in New York City" list.

Attea's success continued with the opening of Raf's, a French-Italian bakery across from The Musket Room, in partnership with pastry chef Camari Mick, Musket Room co-owner Jennifer Vitagliano, and Vitagliano's twin sister Nicole.  In 2025, the team announced the opening of a new concept, Cafe Zaffri, which aims to honor Attea's Lebanese heritage with a menu of modernized Levantine and Mediterranean cuisine.

In addition to her recognition by The James Beard Foundation, Attea was an honoree at the C-CAP 2024 gala, and named one of Food & Wine's "Best New Chefs, 2024 "