I studied hospitality and food tech at high school, and when asked what my elective subjects would be, there was no thouht or hesitation in my answer! When I finished High School I completed an apprenticeship in commerial cookery.

During my apprenticeship I found myself working on the pastry section at Bistro Moncur. It hadn't occurred to me to specialise within the industry, but once I found pastry I felt as if I had found my home. And it was more then just being able to indulge in sweets all day, it was the precision, the science, the art, the creativity – everything about it made me fall in love. And since then I have never looked back, I completed my apprenticeship and decided to head to the UK. I was lucky enough to work at a two michelin star restaurant in the pastry section.

The days were long, the expectation immense, the pressure, the stress unfathomable. But I loved it, I thrived, I spent my mornings making and baking bread, churning icecream, making curds, baking sponges, and learning, always learning! Then came service time, everything needed to be in its place, everything HAD to be perfect – there was no room for error! And with this pressure came the adrenalin.

Chefs live for adrenalin, its the only way we can do what we do! Chefs understand this mentality. The brigade becomes your family, the kitchen your home. Working at The Vineyard firmly reinstated my love and passion for pastry.

I left to take on my first Head Pastry Chef role, a role I was probably a little green for! But under the tutelage of a brilliant chef I began to be the pastry chef I had always wanted to be. The tears, the tantrums, the stress, the hours, the mistakes, the life – I wouldnt change a thing!

After my time in the UK I moved back to Australia, moving up to Port Stephens in New South Wales.