Mara graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelor of Science degree in the Culinary Arts. Her background is mostly fine dining, and she has a personal interest in nutrition as well as regional cuisines. Jumping at various opportunities, Mara managed to find herself cooking in a range of locales: a bustling bakery in Aspen, the winery at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, a west-coast Ireland hotel, a swanky upscale bistro in Philadelphia and many fine establishments in Newport RI. 

Mara moved to Lakewood in 2008 from Newport RI. She lives with her husband and two children.