Interview Restaurant It's A Woman's World Baker Pastry Chef pastry Mystic Interview It's A Woman's World: Pastry Chef Jessica Spivey of Oyster Club + The Port of Call Andrew Dominick December 14, 2023 Photo credit: Catherine Dzilenski Oyster Club in Mystic, its alter ego concept, Treehouse, and their sister cocktail and bites bar, The Port of Call, aren’t only popular in Connecticut, but they’ve received some serious national coverage, including a 2023 James Beard nomination for chef Renee Touponce. Part of the restaurant group’s stellar squad is pastry chef Jessica Spivey, who just received a nod of her own as she was nominated for Best Pastry Chef by the Connecticut Restaurant Association for its annual CRAzies Awards. If you’ve been to Oyster Club, you’ve clearly indulged in Jessica’s desserts. Scroll through her Instagram @jessmesscooks and you’ll quickly notice that this girl’s got skills! On the heels of her CRAzies bid, let’s find out more about the woman behind the sweets and sourdough. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess Spivey (@jessmesscooks) Where did your baking love story begin? I began baking with my mother when I was really young. Mom has always been an inspiration for me in the kitchen because she’s not afraid to experiment and she doesn’t give up. She’s been perfecting her pizza dough for over 30 years at this point. When I was maybe seven, she let me make spiced muffins by myself and it was a disaster. But I think my true passion for baking began when my family moved to France. Every town, no matter how small, has a patisserie and a boulangerie, so we always had access to beautiful, fresh products. I find myself constantly going back to those memories when creating. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess Spivey (@jessmesscooks) Pastry obviously involves a lot of learning and plenty of R&D. Tell us about your progression, including culinary school (if applicable) and how you ended up at Oyster Club. Pre-pandemic, I was working in publishing as a literary agent but had a moment halfway through the pandemic where I realized I wanted to be cooking more than anything. I left my job and began a six-month program with the Institute of Culinary Education. Halfway through this, I took a long weekend and visited Mystic on a whim. I always look up restaurants before I travel and Oyster Club was an immediate “yes.” I had an amazing meal and remembered that experience vividly as I began working in restaurants. I eventually reached out and asked if they were looking for anyone. I’ve been there ever since. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess Spivey (@jessmesscooks) Oyster Club seems like a fun, creative group. How do you find inspiration for what you bake and what’s your creative process like not only for you, but also how you all work together? We have an amazing team at Oyster Club and Port of Call. Chef Renee has created this open, creative environment where we can talk about ideas and learn from each other. When creating a new dessert, I find inspiration in the seasons and the local produce that our farmers have at that point in time. I’m also very much inspired by the desserts, pastries, and breads I ate growing up in Europe. I try to respect the flavors and the nature of the ingredients I’m using so they really shine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess Spivey (@jessmesscooks) Aside from sweets and bread, what else is YOU on the menus at the restaurants? And what are some of your favorites both at the restaurants and when you’re out exploring on your own? When I first started working at Oyster Club, Chef trained me on the pasta station and I loved it. There is something so satisfying about putting together a pasta dish. I’m always excited when I get to work that station again. I have a special place in my heart for the tagliatelle pasta. At Port of Call, I love the gnocco fritto and the pupusas. Neither of these are my creations, but I just love them. My best friend’s mother taught me how to make pupusas when I was living in Minnesota. My fiancé created the gnocco fritto after we tried it for the first time together in Miami. Out and about, I’m always excited by fresh breads and sorbets. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jess Spivey (@jessmesscooks) A non-restaurant question! It’s Monday and you’re off! What are you doing? And what are you into that doesn’t involve pastry?I’m usually baking bread for us to eat at home. But if I’m not in the kitchen, I’m spending time with my dogs and fiancé. We try to get out in nature or explore new towns around us.
