Name: Jenn Yee
Preferred Name: Jenn
Pronouns: she/her
Social Handle: pastrywithjenn
Favorite Sur La Table Tool: “The seasonal mini spatula sets with wood handles. They bring such joy when I’m cooking and baking. I own over 20 spatulas of all sizes, but the minis are the ones I grab for most often for stirring and scraping from jars.”
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“The greatest way to learn and improve is by repetition.”
No, that’s not some inspirational quote from Einstein or Ben Franklin–rather, it’s the philosophy of Jenn Yee, trained Pastry Chef and creative genius behind Pastry With Jenn, her wildly popular food blog and award-winning Instagram profile.
“My life revolves around food; I love experiencing it with others, trying new restaurants and going to the weekly farmers’ markets.
When I bake, it’s rarely for myself. I love seeing others enjoy my creations.”
The “others” Jenn is referring to?
Her family, friends and, of course, her community on Instagram–a whopping 193,000 people who follow Jenn and her food-focused adventures, delectable dishes and tantalizing treats.
In fact, that community is one of Jenn’s great motivators:
“When people tell me they’ve tried a recipe or visited a bakery/restaurant I love. It’s always flattering when I’ve inspired people through my posts.”
But her love for cooking? Well, that’s in her genes, literally.
“Food is such a large part of Chinese holidays and family gatherings, and I love re-creating dishes like turnip cakes, nin goh and dumplings for Lunar New Year and mango pudding, my favorite dim sum dessert.
I have fond memories from my childhood, helping my grandma cook various Asian dishes like sushi, fried shrimp balls and curry puffs, things that involved assembling or shaping.”
Those times in the kitchen with her grandma sparked something in Jenn and food became more than a passion. It was a calling.
“When I was a kid, I used baking mixes to make Bundt cakes for birthdays. Then in high school, I watched Martha Stewart Living and pastry shows on Food Network starring Chefs Jacques Torres and Gale Gand.
I started in the food world in my twenties–first by assisting in Culinary Classes at Sur La Table, then by graduating from pastry school under the instruction of two amazing chefs, Sasha Crehan and Frances Wilson.”
That was nearly 10 years ago and Jenn has been baking, cooking and tasting her way through recipes and bakeries and cafes around the world. It’s a career path she’s incredibly grateful for and something she remembers to be thankful for every day.
“I’m grateful that the food community has been so welcoming and kind. Especially during the pandemic and with the rise of anti-Asian rhetoric, everyone was incredibly supportive.”
And Jenn hopes that support continues to grow and spread to other corners of the AAPI community.
“During this time of celebrating AAPI creators and businesses, it’s good to remember to continue to support all year-round, especially for businesses. SF Chinatown is such a special place for me and many small businesses have still not recovered from the pandemic.”
Jenn’s love for food, her culture and community is prevalent in every aspect of her work, including behind-the-scenes.
Like, for example, making her own vanilla extract:
“It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Place split vanilla beans into a glass jar and top with vodka. Shake every so often. In about 3 months you’ll have extract! Keep adding used vanilla beans and topping with vodka as needed.”
I think we know what our next culinary undertaking is going to be.
Hungry for more? You can follow along with Jenn and all her culinary adventures via her Instagram @pastrywithjenn. Or, for her take on burgeoning food trends and delectable recipes (like this No-Bake Concord Grape Swirled Ice Cream Tart that has us dreaming of summer!), check out her website.
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