Born and raised in Honolulu, Michelle Karr-Ueoka graduated from Punahou School. While attending the University of Hawaii, Karr-Ueoka’s passion for cooking was ignited after an externship at Alan Wong’s Restaurant. Pursuing her dream, Karr-Ueoka enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. During her training, Karr-Ueoka completed an internship at Daniel, and an externship at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California.

Upon graduating with a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America, she rejoined Alan Wong’s where she spent 6 years on the savory side. Karr-Ueoka briefly returned to New York to stage at Thomas Keller’s Per Se. It is here that she realized she wanted to be a pastry chef. In 2013, with the support of family and investors, Karr-Ueoka opened MW Restaurant alongside her husband Chef Wade Ueoka.

In her 10 plus years as a pastry chef, Michelle Karr-Ueoka has been recognized Nationally as a Semi-Finalist of the prestigious James Beard Award and received the Rising Star Chef Award as a Pastry Chef. Locally, she has received numerous awards for being one of the premier Pastry Chefs in Hawaii. In 2014, she received a semi-finalist nomination for Best Pastry chef from the James Beard Foundation as well as in 2016, 2017, and 2022. She serves on the Board of the Hawaii Culinary Foundation. In 2018 she became a member of the culinary council for the ment’or organization founded by Chef Thomas Keller, Chef Daniel Boulud, and Chef Jerome Bocuse. In 2020, she and Wade became the Executive Chefs for Hawaiian Airlines and helps create member for their first class guests.