Natalie Maronski

Current Residency: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Executive Chef/Owner, Underground Concepts

Natalie Maronski was born in Monterey, CA to a Vietnamese immigrant mother and an Army officer father.  As a child, she moved every few years to diverse locales such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Hawaii and Virginia. After graduating high school in Virginia, Natalie moved to Philadelphia to attend Drexel University’s culinary program, while she also minored in business. Although she spent time working in NYC during and after college, her heart is clearly owned by Philly. She worked for nearly ten years with nationally acclaimed chef Jose Garces, where she rose through the ranks and helped open multiple restaurants spanning a variety of cuisines including: Peruvian, Chinese, Spanish, Basque and fine dining New American. These culinary experiences, coupled with her heritage, and living with rheumatoid arthritis has influenced and shaped her focus on flavor, techniques and healthy cooking. Natalie is currently working on launching "Underground Concepts, LLC" which will include four venues within a nationally historic and iconic Philadelphia landmark. Her goal is to deliver local and approachable food along with unique and fun experiences across the intersection of food, music, art and culture. When she is not cooking, Natalie can be found bicycling, walking her dog Wilma, and playing recreational sports around Philadelphia.