Auzerais grew up in Hayward, Calif., baking for her family and experimenting with recipes. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in pastry arts from Johnson & Wales and interned at Alain Ducasse’s pastry school in France before a decade-long career in fine dining. She staged at Michelin-starred establishments The French Laundry in California and Daniel and Per Se in New York and worked as the executive pastry chef at Brooklyn’s Pies ‘n’ Thighs and Ducasse’s Benoit Bistro. In 2015 as the pastry sous chef at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, Auzerais became frustrated with the lack of representation in fine dining and set out to change the industry. Auzerais found her soul as an entrepreneur and, as Blondery grows, is creating the supportive workplace she sought by hiring people of color and empowering them for careers in the restaurant industry.

Blondery is a direct-to-consumer virtual bakery that specializes in a distinctive collection of handmade blondies inspired by generosity. Founded by professional pastry chef Auzerais Bellamy, Blondery reflects her passion for making the perfect blondie and making her profession a better place for women and people of color. Baked to order in Brooklyn and shipped nationwide, Blondery solves the essential question of what to give when you want a unique and delicious gift for yourself or others any time of year.

Our culinary ambassador, Georgette Farkas, interviewed Chef Auzerais Bellamy about her culinary career and direct-to-consumer virtual bakery, Blondery. Read more about it here.