is the full-time pastry chef for Jacksonville’s Black Sheep Restaurant Group, where she oversees pastry operations for Orsay, Black Sheep and Bellwether.
It has been a long-term dream for her to utilize honed techniques and flavors and make them more accessible to people who have grown to love them.“I learned that one thing I can really bring to people around the holidays and beyond is a love for my food. When a friend goes through a terrible thing, I would bring cookies, and that always makes people feel better.”
Next steps for Reed include having her business name trademarked and finalizing costs for retail pastry preparations, including personal recipes and varied dry mixes to make them more accessible to home cooks.Reed initially pursued a career in therapy and marriage counseling but quickly realized that when you see people on their worst days in that capacity, it becomes draining.
Reed and her partner placed second, but she doesn’t consider the outcome a loss as she continues to serve as a vocal ambassador for Jacksonville.