LOCAL baker Jessica Synon made the big time as a competitor in the Great Australian Bake Off television series wowing the judges with her pastries to became one of the top three finalists.
In her early thirties, Jessica Synon grew up mostly in the western suburbs and along with her husband, Cal Zor they moved to Wallan in 2019. Jess is a daytime business analyst and Cal is a boiler maker with an Eltham business.
Weightlifting is a past time Ms Synon enjoyed before having daughter, Hazel, two and a half years ago and it was a work colleague who just so happened to be competing in season seven who encouraged her to apply for the Great Australian Bake Off.
Across the last four months, Ms Synon has been sworn to secrecy on the outcome of the competition that aired on Foxtel and Binge across 10 delicious weeks for local and international audiences.
Last week she was given the green light from the shows networks to talk about her experience and she said her first time on television has changed her.
“I’m not the person I was a year ago when the show was filmed,” she said.
“It was crazy watching it back. Before I went on the show, I was looking to get gastric sleeve surgery and build our business. The show put a spanner in the works and delayed everything.
“The week I got back I went straight into surgery.”
Forty kilograms lighter, the passion for cooking is on fire.
Laminated pastries are Ms Synon’s forte. Essentially, she works the dough to deliver intricate layers that become flaky and delicious and she has a reputation for knowing which fillings and flavours elevate the pastries.
“My favourite fruit to cook with is mulberries, they can be hard to get but they are that perfect subtleness that you can jazz up with a bit of lemon.”
“My favourite savoury dish to make is ham and cheese anything, but my husband and I really do love authentic Indian dishes.
“Having a European background, food has always been around and my husband is a foodie too.”
Back to the show, Ms Synon said the competition deadlines were a challenge as usually at home she would rest the dough however the judges feedback was humbling, and hosts Natalie Tran and Tom Walker looked after competitors very well.
“The show pushes you to think outside of the box and get to the creative side that you would never think about. We were all one big happy family. There weren’t any personality clashes per se, and it presented a lot of opportunities to work with other foodies including Masterchefs, Emelia Jackson and Gareth Whitton, who won the inaugural Dessert Busters competition in 2023.
“Filming finished at 10pm and after the elimination we’d eat the spoils,” she said.
“It was bitter sweet, but I can’t tell you enough that the other bakers I met are absolutely incredible people. They are all baking nerds like me, and now I have a confidant and alumnus to talk to about these weird baking nerdy things.
Episode three, Tart Week, was special for her as when she made a traditional Rogan Josh for the filling. Fellow contestant, Anirban Chanda complimented her and said it tasted like home.
The showstopper, Cherry and Coconut Meringue wowed the judges in the Tropical Week themed episode—another highlight of the competition was being awarded the star baker prize twice in episode nine, Patisserie Week.
Ms Synon and her husband are baking a dream business; Boulangere Tarts and Pastries and will become regular stall holders at the monthly Wallan market.
Ms Synon shared that they are also talking with another local bespoke business about a partnership.
“We can build something for not only us, but get the community involved, maybe some employment [opportunities],” she said.
“It’s onwards and upwards from here. The community has really been behind me to get the patisserie up and running.”
No doubt the community will praise Ms Synon for becoming a finalist in the Great Australian Bake Off.
