Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Vindi Rathnayake grew up curious about the flavors and cuisines in the world, but became a software engineer rather than a chef. This career led her to travel widely, and she fell in love with the pastries and bread she encountered on her travels. She moved to Melbourne, enticed by the food scene and coffee culture — and eventually she swapped her keyboard for a rolling pin, and became a certified baker and pastry chef.

Since then, Vindi has worked in a number of artisanal bakeries and patisseries, first in Melbourne and then in Seattle, and has occasionally sold her baked goods at local farmers markets. These days she’s working as a part-time culinary instructor and blogger — finding joy in intimate gatherings around food, learning about other cultures, and spreading love via food. When she’s not in the kitchen, you’ll find her in the great outdoors hiking, skiing, or running, or in her backyard growing veggies.