Meet Chef Maria

Most leaders want to support their teams. They just don't know how.

Chef Maria Kemp helps them do that through an experience they won't forget. 

Through her work with Beyond Decadence, she helps organizations create more human-centered workplaces. 

Not through policies alone, but through moments that shift how leaders see their people. 

She spent nearly 20 years in IT before rediscovering her passion for baking. 

That led her to the French Pastry School in Chicago, where she earned her L'Art de la Pâtisserie certificate, commuting more than 200 times by train. 

She went on to open Decadence Bakery & Pastries in Normal, Illinois. 

The Moment Everything Changed

Two years into building her business, Chef Maria’s mother suffered a stroke.

Without hesitation, she closed the bakery. 

That decision carried her through multiple nursing home transitions and six years, seven months, and one day of care and commitment. 

"Little Mama" earned her wings on the ninth anniversary of Chef Maria’s graduation from pastry school.

A Second Chapter of Caregiving

Six years later, she walked that path again. Her father, “Papa Kemp,” was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and late-stage Alzheimer's. 

Papa Kemp would earn his wings on July 4, 2023.

In total, Chef Maria spent nearly 8.5 years caring for both of her parents while managing her career. 

After relocating to North Carolina, Chef Maria introduced Beyond Decadence as a pop-up bakery.

It evolved beyond a bakery into a platform for caregiver advocacy and workplace change. 

Today, she partners with HR leaders, Inclusion & Belonging teams, Wellness and Benefits teams, and event planners responsible for workforce performance.

Why Dessert

Dessert is not the point. It’s the lens.

This is not a baking class. There’s no cooking, decorating, or kitchen required.

It’s a shared experience that shifts perspective and opens conversations leaders don’t usually have at work.

This is leadership development.

What Organizations Gain

A simple way to:

✔ Better support their teams
✔ Build trust and connection
✔ Understand what’s really driving burnout and disengagement

No heavy lift. No complicated rollout.

Just a shift leaders can apply immediately.

 

If you’re building a workplace that cares, this work is for you.