Emily

From working weekends in a hot bakery in Brisbane, Australia at age 15, I wound my way via university (where part-time jobs included perfume girl in a department store, catering waitress, office assistant) and ended up in London, where I entered the fashion industry at age 20. When the glamour of the industry finally wore off I decided to follow my passion and enrolled at Leith’s School of Food and Wine, a school set up in 1975 by Prue Leith, Judge on the Great British Baking Show. For a year I chopped, simmered, sauteed and baked before graduating in 2015 at the age of 31. I then spent some time working as a traveling private chef for the rich and famous while planning my next steps. 

In a serendipitous twist of fate, I met my French husband soon after and quickly settled with him and my step-daughter (now 13) into life in Paris. Our family has since welcomed two babies, and a dachshund (what we call a “sausage dog” in Australia), who we named Noisette (Hazelnut).  

I help David with the back end of his blog, doing administration, tackling some of the tech issues that arrive, answering emails, and making sure that everything stays up to date – yep, it is as cool as you would imagine and the food perks are amazing. I also run a freelance catering company and continue to work on my French. Career highlights include preparing canapés for the French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, catering numerous events for the Australian Ambassador to France, and mastering the art of shopping at French food markets, as well as the skill of choosing (and enjoying) the best baguette, flakiest croissant and deepest darkest chocolate at the pastry shops.

– Emily

[Follow Emily on Instagram and her A Week in Paris newsletter.)