Who we are

A native of Evanston, Illinois, Mary Kastman is a graduate of UW Madison and the Madison College Culinary Arts Program. Mary began her culinary career in Madison, WI (Restaurant Muramoto, 43 North) before relocating to Boston in 2011. In Boston, Mary discovered her deep love for Eastern Mediterranean food and spice while working at two of Boston’s powerhouse restaurants,  Oleana and Sarma. Mary relocated to Viroqua, Wisconsin and took on the role of Executive Chef at the Driftless Cafe in the spring of 2019. Her travels have included Northern Spain, Turkey and Western Europe. Her passion for localism through the lens of eastern mediterranean flavors earned her a James Beard Semi-Finalist nomination for Best Chef, Midwest in 2022. Purslane began in the summer of 2024 as a pop up concept based in Viroqua, WI. She showcases the flavors of the Mediterranean and Middle East while utilizing an extensive network of small and family farms in rural Wisconsin.

Purslane will open its brick and mortar location on Milwaukee’s east side in the summer of 2025 at 1751 North Farwell Ave. Stay tuned for opening dates!