Hi there, I’m Jess.
An Aussie girl living in Melbourne, Australia, with my husband Josh and my two children, Lucy and Jack.
I’m a self-taught baker, published recipe writer and the creator of Sweetest Menu. I love to travel, eat good food and watch The Great British Bake Off.
my story
I graduated from university with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and worked for over a decade as a copywriter. My career took me on some exciting adventures, from touring cruise ships to covering food festivals.
I even worked at Australia’s biggest food magazine, creating content and cooking alongside talented chefs, food stylists and food photographers.
A few years into my career, I enrolled in graphic design classes at night (which I loved). But two years later with my Diploma in Graphic Design in hand, I felt like I had nowhere to channel my newfound skills.
Obsessed with baking and food blogs, I decided to join the fun and tentatively created Sweetest Menu in 2014. I started out posting recipes here and there in my spare time.
I quickly fell in love with the process of testing recipes, taking photos and writing endlessly about food. I was working on Sweetest Menu before work, after work and on the weekends.
Finally after six years as a side hustle, and five months pregnant with my daughter, I went full time with Sweetest Menu in March 2020.
A little more about Sweetest Menu
Sweetest Menu may have had humble beginnings, but it’s now a popular baking resource for bakers all around the world. It’s a place where we can celebrate the joy of baking each and every day.
Each recipe is designed to produce delicious desserts that work, are easy to follow and produce amazing results for minimum fuss.
You’ll find a mix of:
Classics: We love recreating foolproof recipes for classic bakes like Lemon Drizzle Cake and Sugar Cookies.
Everyday staples: Whether it’s a go-to Pancake recipe or a simple Oat Slice for the kid’s lunchbox, we’ve stacked the deck with quick and easy bakes that you can make again and again.
Celebration bakes: Life is worth celebrating, so we’ve created some amazing layer cakes (hello Milk Bar Cake) and decadent desserts for your next party.
Small batch: Born out of lockdown, we’ve worked hard to scale down some of our most popular recipes to feed just 2-4. Try our Small Batch Brownies or our Mini Vanilla Cake.
The best place to start? My popular Apple Cake and the best Chocolate Chip Cookies I’ve ever had.
my work
My recipes have been published in Taste, Australia’s top-selling food magazine, and on taste.com.au.
Sweetest Menu recipes have also been featured on popular lifestyle sites including PopSugar, Brit&Co, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post and HOORAY Magazine.
I’ve also had the privilege of working with amazing food brands including KitchenAid, Williams and Sonoma and Almond Breeze.
Keen for more? I’ve shared my story as a food blogger and recipe writer on popular podcasts including:
I was also a guest on the Niche Pursuits YouTube channel where I was able to share openly about my journey from copywriter to full time food blogger.
For those interested in learning how to create a profitable business online, check out my founder interviews on entrepreneurial websites Niche Pursuits and Step by Step Business.
keep in touch
I’d love to hear from you! If you make one of my recipes or have a baking question or query, please get in touch. Here are some of the best ways you can connect with me:
Leave a comment: Did you try one of my recipes? Let me know! I personally read every single comment and I’ll always reply.
Instagram: Come hang out with me on Instagram. I’m over there every day and love to see your bakes. Feel free to DM me with any baking questions. You can also catch a little behind-the-scenes in my kitchen on Stories.
YouTube: I just recently launched my YouTube channel so we can bake my favourite recipes together in my very own kitchen. I’d love if you can subscribe to my channel.
Email newsletter: I’d love to let you know when a new recipe drops, so sign up to the Sweet Club to keep in touch.
Happy baking, Jess xx