About Jen Vondenbrink: Founder of Appetite for Life

Hello & Welcome!

I’m Jen Vondenbrink, and I believe that life is best served with a side of curiosity and a great recipe. My mission is simple: to help you find joy and confidence in the kitchen through a genuine Appetite for Life.

My journey with food started over 40 years ago, but the spark was lit at my mother’s and grandmother's elbows. Today, I use that lifetime of experience to mentor home cooks, develop unique flavors, and share approachable cooking and baking tips that anyone can master.

From Family Roots to Professional Kitchens

My love affair with food didn’t start in a culinary school; it started at home. As a child, I was the "permanent shadow" in the kitchen, watching my mother whip up gourmet meals and learning the secrets of comfort food from my grandmothers.

By age 12, I stepped up to fill a gap in our household. My mother was a brilliant cook but not a baker, so I took over the ovens. I taught myself the chemistry of baking, and by high school, I wasn't just making cookies—I was simmering homemade chicken stock from scratch and mastering the technical challenge of a traditional Apple Strudel (hand-stretched pastry and all!).

40 Years of Culinary Expertise

That childhood curiosity evolved into a 40-year career across the food and beverage industry. My professional background gives me a unique perspective on recipe development and kitchen management:

Industry Leaders: I cut my teeth with specialty grocery pioneer J. Bildner & Sons in the late ’80s and played a role in the Starbucks coffee revolution during their massive growth in the ’90s and early 2000s.
Professional Apprenticeships: I trained under professional chefs and master bakers to refine the techniques that separate a "good" dish from an extraordinary one.
Bakery Ownership: From 1990 to 1996, I was a partner in a thriving bakery and catering company in Concord and Bedford, MA. I managed everything from early-morning production and cake design to leading a full culinary team.

Why I Created Appetite for Life

In 2009, I began sharing my favorite recipes on social media, which led to the official launch of the Appetite for Life website in 2020.

I’ve spent my life translating professional culinary techniques into successes for the home kitchen. Think of me as your "friendly mentor"—the one who encourages you to tackle that "strudel" project, simplifies complex steps, and reminds you that the best meals are the ones shared with love.

Let’s get cooking!

P.S. I'm always happy to help, so if you have a cooking question, email me.

Fun Facts

First "Signature" Bake: A full Apple Strudel—including the hand-stretched pastry—tackled in high school.
The Stock Pot Queen: While most teens were grabbing fast food, I was perfecting from-scratch chicken stock.
Bakery Life (1990–1996): I’ve done it all—from 3:00 AM baking shifts to managing high-end catering events.

Starbucks Alum: I had a front-row seat to the global coffee boom of the late '90s.
Kitchen Philosophy: There is no such thing as a "failed" dish—only a "learning" dish (and a little extra butter usually fixes everything!).
Favorite Tools: A well-worn wooden spoon and a heavy-bottomed stock pot.