Our philosophy at Jester King is strongly rooted in creating a sense of place by tying our guests’ experience to a time, place, and people. Whether dining onsite with friends and family, eating baked goods that you picked up for the road, or enjoying one of our beers purchased from your local retailer, our intent is to build a connection and experience with our guests and community.

We could not foster these relationships without the people who work tirelessly every week at Jester King, from the front of house to our kitchen, our production team to our artists, and many more! With this in mind, we continue our Jester King staff spotlight series so you can get to know our team. Today (September 30) is National Bakery Day, so let us introduce you to our Pastry Chef, Mattie Grey!

How long have you worked at Jester King?

Since March 2022.

What is your background?

I started cooking professionally 13 years ago. Originally, I was on the savory side of things, but somewhere along the way I got pulled to the pastry side and I’ve never looked back.

What do you love most about working at Jester King?

My coworkers! Also, the creative freedom I am allowed.

What is your favorite Jester King baked good? Favorite Jester King food item? Favorite Jester King beer?

I’ve got a soft spot for my chocolate chip cookie, it’s the item I personally crave most often. The smash burger and fries! I really enjoyed Modern Science when I tried it over the Summer. I have so many more to try though!

What’s your favorite thing to bake?

I love making entremets or petit gâteau. You can really show your skill and creativity as a pastry chef with them, and make them as simple or complex as you’d like. They look like little works of art.

What got you interested in baking?

I grew up baking with my grandma, and I knew that if it was possible to make a career out of it, I wanted to. I make her biscuit recipe at Jester King every weekend, and I am biased, but I really think they are the best.

What’s on your bucket list?

Oh, I definitely want to eat my way through Europe and the Mediterranean. I also want to see the northern lights at some point in my life.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to read. Go camping. Check out local shows. I’ve only been in Austin for a year, so I love exploring the city and trying new restaurants. I’ve also been working on a cookbook for a while, so that takes up a lot of time.

I Can’t Live Without:

My dog, Milo. He’s my best friend.

Anything Else You'd Like to Share?

I just hope that everyone comes to Jester King to enjoy the beers, food, and also grabs a dessert to try! Please, let me know what you think!

Keep up with Mattie's baking by following her on Instagram @heymattielou.