Baking for the Taking

From the time Leslie was tall enough to reach the sugar in the cabinet of her mom’s kitchen, she has been baking. Whenever she had free time Leslie would beg her mom to let her bake cookies and brownies for the rest of her family. At some point it occurred to Leslie that she could turn her hobby into a career.

After graduating from Kendall College with a baking and pastry degree, Leslie helped manage the kitchen at a small specialty food store. She then took a position with an elite Chicago club as Pastry Assistant and quickly earned the job of Head Pastry Chef. In her four years with the club Leslie has experienced it all... from pies, tarts and individual desserts to wedding cakes and cakes in the shape of cars or speed boats!

Currently, Leslie is the Pastry Chef at Table 52, Art Smith’s new restaurant in Chicago. You also can find Leslie teaching cooking classes at Bespoke Cuisine in Chicago.

Leslie is extremely excited to start Baking for the Taking. She hopes to bring the love of baking that she felt when she was a child to your table.