A native of Deerfield, Illinois, Gand began her restaurant career in 1976 working as a line cook and waitress in Cleveland, Ohio, and then as a pastry chef in Rochester New York. She later did pastry in New York City at The Gotham Bar and Grill and in England at Stapleford Park.

In 1993, Gand opened Trio with culinary partner and ex-husband Rick Tramonto and Henry Adaniya in Evanston, Illinois and was named among Food and Wine Magazine's Top Ten Best New Chefs in 1994. In 1999, she opened Tru with Tramonto and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises's Rich Melman.

In 1996, Gand was chosen by Julia Child to appear on two episodes of the PBS show Baking with Julia.

Gand was the host of the Food Network show "Sweet Dreams" that ran on the network from 2000-2008. She got the show without a try out when calling the network to confirm a date to be on Sarah Moulton's show where she was a frequent guest chef.