Ashley Ramirez

Background

About Ashley Ramirez

Mason Dixon Bakery and Bistro was founded more than a decade ago in Huntsville, Alabama, when a chemistry expert with Celiac Disease realized that her hard-won lessons in gluten-free baking could help others like her have a better life. Ashley Ramirez, Ph.D. discovered she had Celiac Disease while she was in college at Elon University. The transition to a gluten-free lifestyle was challenging. She loved all things bread and carbs and struggled to find anything tasty to replace her former favorites. She decided she would have to learn to cook and bake gluten-free herself, on a budget and with limited available information. As she transitioned into a Ph.D. Chemistry program at Duke University, she began to realize she could apply her chemistry learning to recipe development and food experimentation. The frustrations of gluten-free living became challenges and the challenges led to breakthroughs. After pouring herself into creating gluten-free food that didn’t taste gluten-free, her recipes could soon fool even the harshest of critics. After completing her doctorate, Ashley moved to Huntsville to accept a position on the Redstone Arsenal. Unfortunately, this occurred during sequestration and her job offer was postponed. This serendipitous delay gave her an entrepreneurial idea – a gluten-free bakery where people with food allergies and dietary restrictions could enjoy the foods they loved and missed without worry. Ashley’s dream first started becoming a reality in the local farmers markets, where the Mason Dixon family of customers emerged. Within months, in April 2013, Ashley opened a storefront to offer baked goods 6 days a week. The bakery soon became a trusted destination for health-minded local residents to find scratch-made, unique baked goods for the family. The Bakery received several write-ups and “Best of” mentions. It did not take Ashley long to recognize her customers were longing for more than baked goods. There was also a strong need for healthy, allergen-friendly foods in a market that tended to be saturated with processed, greasy, fried foods and starchy sides. The addition of a Bistro in January 2015 came from repeated customer requests for a new, healthy, gluten-free spin on favorite foods. Fast forward to 2022, Mason Dixon (also known as MD) moved to its current brick and mortar location on Church Street in Huntsville’s beloved and growing downtown. Tripling the footprint, the new space allows for dining space up to 75 guests as well as a private event space.