Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Yee.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up sharing a big round table with lots of extended family, so my love of food, and eating in general, has been with me from the start. Looking back, I think I always knew pastry would be my destiny. I made my own birthday cakes as a kid. Instead of reading teen mags in high school, I was baking my way through Martha Stewart recipes. And even while getting a BFA in Interior Architecture, I still had pastry on the brain.
After college, I got my first job in a restaurant in my hometown of San Francisco, as a pastry plater, and that basically sealed the deal. I worked two jobs to get enough money to buy a ticket to London and pay tuition fees at Le Cordon Bleu. From there, it was just a hard grind in top kitchens in London and NYC, to finally get my first “Pastry Chef” role at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole in Manhattan.
After 12 years in NYC, which included a tough yet rewarding opening of Andrew Carmellini’s Lafayette, my husband and I were ready to try something new. After a bit of traveling around Europe and a fortuitous meeting with Linton Hopkins, we were excited to start a new life (and buy a dope apartment) in Atlanta.
I’ve been with Hopkins & Co., as Executive Pastry Chef, for almost two years now. I oversee pastry for the fine dining Restaurant Eugene, C. Ellet’s Steakhouse, and the iconic Holeman & Finch Public House. I also get to develop desserts for Delta’s first class flights out of ATL through our commissary kitchen and play with shakes & pies at HF Burger/Hop’s Chicken at Ponce City Market. It’s a lot to manage, but I get to have lots of fun too!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With 18 years in the restaurant industry behind me, I might have a couple of stories to tell.
The biggest and most enduring struggle will always be the hours. As long as you work in a restaurant, you will work when everyone else is having dinner, celebrating occasions, or enjoying national holidays. As you move up the ranks and start making your own schedule, it gets a little more humane, but the road to get there is long.
My advice to women, and aspiring chefs, in general, is to take your time. Please don’t rush to get that “Chef” title. Seek out the most talented chefs you can find, and try to work for them. The biggest gift you can give yourself is education through learning from those you admire. This is a craft. The perfecting of that craft takes diligence.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Restaurant Eugene, C. Ellet’s Steakhouse & Holeman & Finch Public House – what should we know?
Many pastry chefs will say they enjoy their work because it makes people happy. This really is my biggest goal when I’m in the kitchen. People eat dessert because they want to enjoy themselves, indulge themselves, and celebrate with each other. I want to make those moments worth every calorie.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I’m not sure I’ve ever sought out a mentor, per se. Great restaurants attract a higher caliber of talent, skill & discipline, and I was always more driven by that. From there, I found people who became my mentors and friends, and even my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: jenyeepastry.com
- Instagram: @jenyeepastry
Image Credit:
Dustin Chambers, Henri Hollis
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