Hi! I grew up in South Korea where the bakery culture uniquely blends Asian and French techniques and flavors. I used to love going to a bakery above anywhere else. I always dreamed of living abroad and in 2005 I moved to New York City, USA to work in the finance and real estate fields. After several years of working in the corporate culture, I realized that this life did not fulfill me and my passion for cooking and baking continued to call out to me. So I took a big risk and decided to leave my Corporate job and pursue my culinary dream. I attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City to deepen my understanding and skills in French cuisine. After completing this course I realized that my true passion was in baking and pastry.
Years later, after getting married (to the lovely Simon), I moved to New Jersey from New York City. There, I started my micro bakery Jess Bakeshop to sell my baked goods at the Chatham Farmers’ Market starting with the 2019 season. The products were sourdough-based breads and brioche, macarons, tarts, madeleines, cookies, scones. Although I learned some baking techniques at the French Culinary Institute, I was largely self-taught. By actually doing this business myself, I pushed myself to learn how to bake at much larger production scales than a home baker would ever do, as well as gaining the experience of working in a rented commercial kitchen. I also learned a lot about how to make products that appeal to customers and how to market and sell to customers. Once again I learned how determined I am when I decide to accomplish a goal and how I am a passionate and tenacious learner. We worked through the COVID-19 pandemic delivering fresh baked goods to customers during that difficult period. Unfortunately this business came to a halt after the 2021 season when the commercial kitchen that I was renting closed down. However that did not stop my passion for baking.
After moving to Garwood NJ in 2022, I immediately fell in love with this small town (with a Big Heart)! I particularly love how walkable the town is and how close it is to everything. The town has direct trains and buses to New York City. It was a no-brainer to open our first store front bakery right here, serving the community and neighbors of this and surrounding towns. We are located at 18 North Ave, Garwood NJ on the corner of North Ave and Winslow Place, a stone’s throw from Cranford, and across the street from the direct bus to NYC!
Please follow me on Instagram and email me at jessbakeshopus@gmail.com, or subscribe to our mailing list for updates on new developments! See you around!
