About petal & parlour

One of my earliest memories is cooking with my grandmother.

I planned a full dinner — soup to dessert — and it simply needed to be be served on her fine china. The dishes lived high in a hutch and were rarely used, but she said yes anyway. I carried them, a few at a time, across the yard from her farmhouse to ours, determined to make the meal feel special. Those plates were old — wagon-train old — and precious to her. She believed, that beautiful things were meant to be used, and love can be showed in a sweetly set table. 

That belief stayed with me.

In my early twenties, my friends started calling me “Martha.” Most gatherings at that age were still of the chips, dip, and beer variety, but when people came to my place, I wanted to create something more. I poured over cookbooks, visited the flower market, and worked carefully within a limited budget to make ordinary evenings feel thoughtful and inviting. Eventually, I even planted a cutting garden so I could bring that beauty into my home.

What I was really doing — even then — was learning how details communicate care.

To me, food is a language. Building a flavor profile, layering textures, and creating atmosphere is a way of loving people well. When all the senses are considered, the experience becomes enveloping — a gentle hug that says you are welcome here.

What I offer now is simply a continuation of what has always brought me joy—creating spaces where people feel welcomed, cared for, and connected. Every gathering I design is guided by intention, shaped by years of experience and a deep love for the art of hospitality. This is work I return to again and again, because it is where I feel most at home. 

-- Mandi

where it all began