Renate Marx joined the Nyingma community in 2010 after a four months retreat at the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley, leaving behind a career in international arts and education management. A passionate home baker, she professionalized her skills when asked to develop a Cafe for Nyingma Zentrum in Cologne/Germany. This became Cafe ÖM, a hub of the local community and neighborhood, offering daily vegan and vegetarian bread, cakes, and snacks. Cafe ÖM also served as an art gallery and hosted modern classical concerts with students of the Cologne University of Music.