From Del Posto to Buffalo Gina Ocasio, Executive Pastry Chef and Co-Owner at Mira in Buffalo's Elmwood Village, has built a pastry program that reflects a decade-plus trajectory through some of the country's most disciplined kitchens. A CIA graduate in Baking and Pastry Arts, Ocasio trained under James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Brooks Headley at Del Posto in New York City before moving to Sqirl in Los Angeles, where a focus on local ingredients and seasonality shaped her philosophy. Her tenure at Fiore Fine Foods in Philadelphia resulted in the program earning "Best Pastries" from Philadelphia Magazine in 2019.
The Mira Menu At Mira, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant she co-owns with husband and Executive Chef Manny Ocasio, her seasonally rotating menu reflects this technical precision. Current offerings include tiramisu with strawberry malted milk mascarpone, chocolate ganache, and a house-made sponge soaked in espresso and rum, alongside an olive oil cake featuring preserved strawberry, homemade ricotta gelato, sherry cream, and a Sicilian pistachio polenta crumble.
Why It Matters
For Buffalo's restaurant scene, Ocasio represents a specific kind of operator: formally trained, ingredient-obsessed, and building year-round menus that respond to seasonal availability rather than standing still. The arrival of such discipline in pastry—a category often overlooked in regional markets—signals a shift in how mid-sized cities approach dining destination cuisine.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
