Meet Katy

Chef by Design

After a career in fashion design, Gerdes’s love of baking took over and she started working and training in some of the Twin Cities great restaurants, including developing a baking & pastry program for Hells Kitchen. In 2012, after outgrowing her tiny corner in Hell, she started Angel Food Bakery & Donut Bar.

A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, she is a designer, maker and creator at heart, bringing her fun & whimsical style to all aspects of her businesses… from designing donuts to bathrooms.

Rise & Grind

Called one of the country's "coolest urban bakeries" by Thrillist, Angel Food Bakery has garnered awards from wedding magazines to “best of” lists, been featured on the Today Show and Angel Food’s location at MSP airport was named “Best Quick Service Concept” across all of North American airports.

A successful entrepreneur and continual learner, Katy is on the grow already being recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a Women’s Entrepreneurial Leader and self-proclaimed “lover” of competing on nationally televised competitions including becoming a Chopped Sweets Champion, winning Donut Showdown, and making donut glazed deep fried biscuits on “Beat Bobby Flay.”

Life is Sweet

Chef Katy’s motivation to learn and grow extends beyond the kitchen. As an adventurer and thrill seeker, she has been on the hill since age 4 and training as a snowboard coach for 17 years, being one of the first women achieving the top AASI accreditation in the Central US.

And as if tossing 50lb bags of sugar & flour around the kitchen isn’t enough, you can also find Katy in a Crossfit gym training olympic lifting, handstand walking and working on all types of strength skills and party tricks.

In her free time she likes to work in the yard with her husband, watch cheesy reality shows and makes plans to rule the world with their cats Boris, Nuke & Midleton.

Whimsical Sweet Magic

Every time the team at Angel Food Bakery pulls a creation out of their ovens an angel gets their wings. This team of magical bakers believes that the world is better with sprinkles, that tongues need to live an interesting life, and that creative hands make the best things to put in your face. Every day they produce comically decadent sweets that will make you think you have died and gone to heaven. From a three-layer Jumbo D'oh!nut Cake to Bourbon Caramel Donut Bread Pudding, you'll feel like your floating in sugary clouds. And donut worry if your mouth is too full to express your gratitude, they also make donuts that spell out everything you'd like to put into words!

Angel Food is a full scratch bakery located in downtown Minneapolis, at MSP International Airport and available Nationwide through Goldbelly. and have been called one of the country's "coolest urban bakeries." We now have a second location at MSP Airport and are the first ever 100% from scratch bakery in an airport, baking everything from start to finish on site. Angel Food has won many awards for baking from best birthday cake to best donuts & 3 years of winning "Outstanding Wedding Cake & Dessert Design." In it's first year, our MSP airport location won both "Best New MN Retail Food & Beverage Concept" (2017, MN Retailers) & "Best New Food & Beverage Concept in North America" (2016, Airport Council's International). We delight in surprising our customers with unique sweets & treats and focusing on quality & genuine customer service.

• Finalist "Outstanding Baker/Pastry Chef 2018" (Charlie Awards)

• Best New Food & Beverage Concept in North America (2017, Airport Council's International)

• Best New Local Concept in North America (2018, Airport Council's International) 

• Best New MN Retail Food & Beverage Concept (2017, MN Retailers)

• The Knot Best of 2020 Weddings

• Judges & People's choice "Outstanding Wedding Cake & Dessert Design"(Diamond Awards)

• Best Birthday Cake in Twin Cities (Mpls Foundation)

• Best Cupcakes in Minneapolis (Mpls Happening List)

• Best Donuts in Twin Cities (French Cruller, City Pages)

• Best Donuts in Minneapolis (Thrillist, Eater, CBS, Travel & Leisure)

• Twin Cities Finest 2015