Meet JAC and her Cup of Joe
Hi! I’m Joe-Ann, a Mauritian born and raised chick who loves all things food-related. I am a home baker partial to sweet treats, although I have to admit that I would not be able to resist a hearty steak pie freshly taken out of the oven. I am also the cat-mom to two adorable feline monsters named Wolfie and Oishi.

My love for food first lies in the fact that I love to eat, which dates for as long as I can recall. That’s why as a child I was always interested in what was happening in the kitchen, following adults around to observe how they prepped the food. Between my granny who would make bakes from scratch, and my mother who would make sure she baked a cake for all our birthdays, I grew up in a family where cake, and cooking in general, was a serious affair. I still remember my vivid interest in watching how my granny would put together a cake in a way that looked so incredibly effortless and with such patience, in spite of not owning a hand mixer! The whole process was simply fascinating for the 5 year-old I was.  And although neither of us realised it at the time, my interest in baking was activated, quietly budding as I watched her bake.

Growing up, I have also been attracted to different forms of creative expressions and more specifically drawing and painting. I studied visual arts up until the end of high school and thoroughly loved it, but went on to study something more ‘serious’, that would lead to a ‘proper’ job.

After graduating in Media and Communications (and Spanish!) from the University of Melbourne, I worked in communications and advertising for about 5 years. Working in advertising was an aspiration of mine, but after a while I started looking for a more creative escape outside my day job. That’s when I rediscovered my interest in baking. The more time I spent making cakes and other bakes, the more I started to wonder, ‘Is it what I want from life? Spend most of my time sitting in an office waiting for weekends to actually do what makes me feel alive?’ It seemed unnatural.

An Introduction to Creative Living

During that time, a friend introduced me to the writings of Elizabeth Gilbert, which inspired my next move.

‘What is creative living? Any life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear’, she writes.

This immediately resonated with me. Working in the corporate world was indeed comfortable but it did not allow for my creativity to exist. That’s when I realised I had to go back to my roots, do what ignites my heart, and let go of the fears and doubts that kept me away from doing what I enjoy.

That’s how A Cup of Joe was born. Through it, I have decided to bring together my passion for the arts with my interest for baking.

If you ask again, ‘Why A Cup of Joe’?  

Well, I sincerely believe that the best thing about baking and cooking is to be able to share it with family and friends, thereby creating special moments. A Cup of Joe is therefore a part of me and of my creative vision that I share with all of you through my interest in baking, which incidentally works well with a nice cup of coffee or tea.

A Cup of Joe represents a journey characterised by going back to an authentic creative self, and a dream long deferred.

This blog invites you to embark, with me, on this adventure. Here, you will encounter the various sources of inspiration that feed my personal experience in exploring – and making – culinary delights. From the most indulgent desserts and cakes to the hearty homemade food, A Cup of Joe is an exploration through the art of baking, – a creative expression in itself – and the love of sharing.

I hope that this blog inspires you in a way or another to enjoy life, one (cake) bite at a time.

Keep it real,

Joe-Ann Chavry (aka. JAC)