Jasmine Rae deLung
Jasmine Rae Bakery

Blowing minds since 2005. Jasmine Rae, just 27 years old, started very young without any formal training; nevertheless she’s transformed the San Francisco baking scene. She takes wasabi and transcribes it into savory butter cream frosting. Walking into her kitchen you are lambasted with creamy wafts of marzipan, spicy ginger, sweet sugar and you feel like you’ve been transported into a retro Willy Wonka scene.

There are cookies and muffins everywhere and large bowls of frosting jam-pack the counters. Loaves of bread are quietly steaming up their plastic bags in the corner. Jasmine Rae relies on a small team of confidantes and fellow (small, local) entrepreneurs to provide support and inspiration. Operating out of a third floor warehouse space converted into kitchen she has plans to open her own retail space before 2009 finishes.

1. Would you rather star in your own TV show or have your own cookbook series? Cookbook series – it’d be more like a novel that demonstrates my life experiences in relation to food.

2. Who are your heroes? My artist friend Catherine Mackey for her strong sense of self. My partner Rob for his fearless encouragement. My best friend Elsa for her comfort and vulnerability.

3. What are your food policy rules? Not too sweet, use fresh fruits and everything should be homemade.

4. What inspired your sweet path in life? Proving to myself that I can be bold and ballsy. I don’t have formal training and I want to expose people to food experiences that maybe aren’t familiar. Y’know – challenging the concept that basil is a savory herb. Oh! The smiles from my cupcakes.



5. How do you gauge success? By a lack of anxiety! (Laughs). By feeling happy and pleased with what I’m putting out into the world.

6. If someone gave you 1 million dollars for a Small Business loan, how would you use it? I’d open a few bakeries to ultimately fund an alternative school education school. A K-12 school – it’s been a lifelong dream of mine. I’d give the school my bakery so it could be self-sufficient.

7. What’s your favorite dessert? Well my dream dessert would be a manifestation of creamy, crunchy, Meyer lemon, burnt caramel and some kind of herb. Creative combinations.

8. Besides bold syrah, what’s your favorite style of wine? Dessert wines! You need things that sing well together. I used to hate scallops until I had them done really well. Just because you don’t like, say Merlot, doesn’t mean you will hate ALL merlots.

9. What is happy? What’s your happy place? Music is a very happy thing. It could be just driving down the freeway listening to Sly and The Family Stone.



10. What are 3 things you’ve learned on the job?
a. Education comes in all forms b. My time is more valuable than I think it is c. It’s important to work toward happy results above everything else

11. Last meal on earth? My Aunt Julie’s Christmas Dinner! Roast beast, white wine gravy, Yorkshire pudding, creamed onions…vee-rrry New England. Also the meal is very Syrah friendly. Aunt Juli sounds like an amazing cook! .
12. Favorite Travel Destination? Italy! It’s so vibrant.


13. Of all of San Francisco’s quirky holidays and celebrations what’s your favorite? I don’t really go out and do that stuff. But I believe San Franciscans are primed to receive art. Everyone in LA is an actor and everyone in San Francisco is an artist. When it’s hot outside, and you’re in the Mission, and everyone’s out and about around. Nothing is shocking. That is what is great!

14. Obsessed with any flavors these days? Meyer Lemons, definitely obsessed with Meyer Lemons.

Jasmine Rae can be contacted through her website: JasmineRaeBakery.com