This article is part of a Jersey Bites series focusing on women chefs in the Garden State.
Finding the right career path can be difficult. For pastry chef Jess Gaspero, a school aptitude test ended up mattering more to her than she could have imagined. “I scored pretty high for culinary arts, so I started watching Food Network and just decided it was something I wanted to do,” Gaspero said.
Path to Pastry
Over time, Gaspero gravitated more toward becoming a pastry chef than a savory chef. “I became fascinated with everything you could do with chocolate,” she said. Today, doughnuts are her favorite dessert to prepare.
When Gaspero first entered the culinary industry, she worked at R2L, in Philadelphia. “I pretty much worked every shift possible, from overnight bread to late dinner service,” she said. After a while, though, she wanted a change of pace. “I just felt like I tapped out and wanted to branch out and start doing my own thing.”
The Farm & Fisherman
Gaspero decided to interview with The Farm & Fisherman Tavern + Market, where she landed a job as a pastry chef in 2013. Today, she remains with the restaurant group and splits her time between the Cherry Hill, NJ, and Horsham, PA, locations.
Gaspero notes that her experience and place in the industry all come from keeping her head up. “I work with powerful, talented women every day,” she said. “Be yourself, and be creative.”
