Meet Mary Nguyenform of Olive & Finch in Uptown and Cherry Creek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Nguyenform.

Mary, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve only been in this industry for 18 years, a short period of time when compared to many of my peers. I changed my career from finance to food later in life. I had always loved cooking and entertaining- one day I found myself spending more time reading books about food than learning about the financial markets, so I decided to quit my job and learn as much as I could about the restaurant business so that I could one day open my own place.

I really wanted to learn as much as I could and took on three jobs to ensure that I was successful; a barista position in a café, a cooking position in a fine dining restaurant and a sushi apprenticeship. I worked all three jobs for more than a year and realized that 4 hours of sleep a night wasn’t sustainable and I had to commit to one to learn restaurant management. I decided to pursue the sushi chef position where I moved up the ranks and became the executive sushi chef; the only female executive sushi chef in the country from what they tell me. After some time there, I realized I was ready to explore my own concept.

After a lot of hard work, I opened Parallel Seventeen which I ran successfully for close to 12 years, however events in my life and becoming a mother to twins inspired me to take a different culinary direction. That is when I decided to pursue Olive & Finch, and now I continuously work hard to perfect and expand the concept.

Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think the road is ever completely smooth for any business owner, especially for a minority female in the culinary industry. I often struggle with work/life balance, and I often wish I were home with my family, but they also inspire me to work as hard as I do. There are always unexpected roadblocks and challenges in life and business, but I find that is when I thrive. I love to solve problems and constantly improve.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Olive & Finch reflects what I want for myself and family right now when I dine out: a thoughtful, well-prepared meal that’s quick and casual in a setting both stylish and comfortable. We are passionate about creating affordable handcrafted meals made from scratch using the best products, whether it be produce, dairy, or meats when possible. All of our pastries are also made in-house early each morning. It’s a lot of work, but it makes all the difference!

We like to think that we offer a little something for everyone. Not only do we offer thoughtfully prepared and crafted meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner available every day); we also have a pretty amazing juice program, coffee program (serving Intelligentsia beans) as well as pastry and bakery selections. Olive & Finch is perfect for groups because everyone can get what they’d like: whether that is a breakfast hash, fresh pressed juice, decadent cake, steak entrée, gluten-free salad or a refreshing cocktail!

Because of the variety, quality and affordability of our menu, our business thrives throughout the day. People tend to love that they can come in and have so many options while keeping the commitment of time, money and diet fairly limited.

I am most proud that our company believes firmly in helping the community. We have had the great opportunity to partner with many small and local non-profits to give back to the community that supports us. We choose to partner with smaller non-profits to ensure our partnership has a bigger impact and a bigger reach.

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
There are always plans for the future!! Currently, we’re expanding our Wholesale product line called Olive & Finch On the Fly. Now you can find our delicious pastries, healthy meals and snacks on the go at different venues around the metro Denver area.