Welcome to the Aubergine Chef, an online baking and pastry video blog with free online video demonstrations of all kinds recipes including pastries, cakes, cookies, pies, and much more!

My name is Jason Shriner and I’m the Aubergine Chef.  My goal for this video blog is to help encourage all the bakers, and would-be bakers, of the world to try new things, experiment, and most of all not to be afraid to start baking!  I’ll be demonstrating all kinds of baking and pastry techniques and desserts which I hope gives more guidance than a recipe ever could.  Speaking of recipes, just about every blog post will have a recipe PDF within it so you can download the recipe for your own use!

I’m located in Northern Virginia so if you ever need help locating an ingredient drop me a line in the e-mail submission form to the right.  Of course, even if you aren’t in the area feel free to e-mail me anyway!

A little more about myself:
I went to school at Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island.  There I got an associate’s degree (2 year degree) in Baking and Pastry and then continued on to get my bachelor’s (4 year degree) in Food Service Entrepreneurship.
I’ve worked as either a baker and/or counter-help at different food establishments.  This includes Panera Bread, 7 Stars Bakery (in RI), Blaze (a restaurant in RI; short-lived but eye-opening), The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona (for my internship/co-op), and at Wegmans.  By working in so many different types of bakeshops I was exposed to different challenges and unique environments – something only experiencing it firsthand can really impart.  I’ll do my best though to pass on all the lessons I’ve learned on to you!

My goal is to make sure the Aubergine Chef is free and will remain free.  We have to pay for enough stuff in life – let’s keep dessert free!

Katie Matusiak, owner of Katie Cakes Cakery

Katie Matusiak is the owner of the home based cake business Katie Cakes Cakery. She graduated from Johnson & Wales with a Bachelor’s in Baking and Pastry. She has a wide range of experiences from working in commercial bake shops, opening a bakery, competing in cake contests, and participating in bridal shows. She works with birthday cakes, three dimensional (3D) cakes, wedding cakes, cupcakes, and petits fours. She also has a high level of experience with using gum paste and fresh flowers, buttercream icing and piping, fondant, chocolate, as well as other common wedding cake decorating techniques.

Visit Katie’s page to hear her take on cakes and opening your own business. Have a question for Katie?