Ravneet Gill: Chef, Author, TV Presenter & Food Entrepreneur

Ravneet Gill’s story isn’t a polished fairy tale—it’s a winding, human narrative of passion, resilience, and trust earned through authentic experience. From a psychology graduate to a celebrated pastry chef, author, TV personality, and food entrepreneur, her path reflects a commitment not just to baking—but to transforming kitchens and how we experience them.

Early Life and Culinary Awakening

Growing up in London as the daughter of Indian parents, Ravneet came from a home where food was a blend of tradition and improvisation. She recalls being famously picky—manifested in jam sandwiches—but food was always central. An astrologer once told her mother that Ravneet would work in the food industry; it sounded absurd at the time, yet turned out oddly prophetic.

After earning a degree in Psychology from the University of Southampton, she pivoted toward her latent culinary calling and studied at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Though funds ran short, she kept going—drawer to drawer kitchen jobs, hopping around until she found a place that didn’t drain her spirit: St. JOHN.

The Emotional Catalyst: Countertalk

It’s seldom shared publicly, but the kitchen itself unleashed a critical turning point. Ravneet experienced bullying firsthand—a chef forwarded her complaint to the subject of her concerns, a betrayal that forced her out.

From that low moment, Countertalk emerged—not just a platform for jobs, but a community and advocacy space giving voice to chefs weary of toxic workspaces. It’s about healthy, nurturing kitchens, equal opportunity, and empathy in hospitality.

“I wanted to create a platform that championed the places that were trying to treat people better, and also show that those places exist.”

Trespass to the Page: Cookbooks and Writing

Ravneet didn’t stop with kitchens. She made her way into publishing, releasing The Pastry Chef’s Guide in April 2020—a book meant to demystify baking, to be a calm, encouraging voice amid intimidating recipes.

Then came Sugar, I Love You in October 2021, a more personal work with essays and sweets that read like love letters. And then, more recently, Baking for Pleasure arrived in late 2023—this one shaped by her new reality as a mum, offering accessible, practical recipes that inhabit shared fridges and minimal pan load.

She also writes columns for The Guardian’s Feast section and contributes to The Daily Telegraph, Observer Food Monthly, Delicious Mag, among others.

From Kitchen to Camera: Television and Media Presence

When Ravneet joined Junior Bake Off in 2020—stepping into Prue Leith’s shoes—the show elevated her profile overnight. Alongside Liam Charles and Harry Hill, she brought warmth, expertise, and gentle backstage advocacy to the national stage.

Subsequently, she expanded her TV presence with appearances on Saturday Kitchen, Saturday Morning with James Martin, This Morning, Sunday Brunch, and starred on Five Star Kitchen in 2023 alongside Michel Roux Jr and Mike Reid, aiming to find Britain’s next great chef.

Puff, Pop-Ups, and the Real-World Sweet Tooth

In 2020, Ravneet teamed up with pastry colleague Nicola Lamb to launch Puff, a roaming pop-up bakery in London. Fans queued around the block for brioche cubes, rice puds with rhubarb, or salted chocolate-chip cookies—and loved it.

These pop-ups embraced seasonality, creativity, and spontaneity—menus often decided on weekend drives home. The cube brioche? A playful idea born of a silly text—and Instagram’s love for it was instant.

New Chapter: Gina, the Restaurant

In mid-2025, Ravneet and her husband Chef Mattie Taiano opened their first restaurant—GINA, a steakhouse-style venue in Chingford. The menu fuses bold meats and fish visions with pastry-led desserts that reflect her creative roots. It’s a strategic step, balancing creative expression with hospitality realities.

Narrative Flow & Lessons

Every phase of Ravneet’s journey feeds into another. Psychology helped her understand the human side of kitchens. Personal hardship birthed Countertalk, giving back to the industry that once hurt her. Publishing turned private kitchen wisdom into public guidance. TV elevated her platform, and pop-ups let her experiment—ultimately culminating in opening her own space with emotional and entrepreneurial maturity.

Why It Matters: Broader Industry Impacts

• Mental health & work culture—Countertalk exemplifies the necessity for safe environments and mental well-being in hospitality.
• Accessibility through media—Books and media appearances demystify pastry; they invite empathy and confidence from home bakers.
• Adaptive entrepreneurship—Puff’s agile pop-up model showed how chefs can scale creatively without massive overhead.
• Diverse storytelling—From Indian roots to British kitchens, her narrative offers representation that matters.

Conclusion

Ravneet Gill’s trajectory is far from linear, but that’s exactly where its power lies. Each pivot—from psychology to pastry, from bullying to activism, from writing to TV, from pop-up to restaurant—is grounded in lived experience, empathy, and unpretentious innovation. Her journey is as imperfectly human as it is inspiring—a reminder that the sweetest successes often rise from those who stay true to their purpose, piece by imperfect piece.

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FAQs

Who is Ravneet Gill?

Ravneet Gill is a British pastry chef, author, television presenter, and food entrepreneur based in London. She’s known for her cookbooks, pop-up bakery ventures, media presence, and advocacy for well-being in kitchen culture.

What is Countertalk?

Countertalk is a community and job-service platform founded by Ravneet to promote healthy working conditions in hospitality. It emerged from her own experience of toxicity in kitchens and aims to connect professionals to supportive, vetted workplaces.

What cookbooks has Ravneet Gill written?

She has written The Pastry Chef’s Guide (2020), Sugar, I Love You (2021), and Baking for Pleasure (2023), each offering unique angles—technical support, personal storytelling, and practical home-oriented recipes respectively.

How did Ravneet get into television?

She joined Junior Bake Off as a judge in 2020, succeeding Prue Leith. Her warmth and baking insight quickly made her a recognizable TV personality, leading to roles on several British cooking shows.

What is Puff?

Puff is a pop-up bakery Ravneet co-founded with Nicola Lamb in 2020. It stood out for delicious, seasonal treats—like cube brioche—and showed how low-overhead ventures can captivate public interest.

What is GINA?

GINA is the restaurant Ravneet opened in Chingford in 2025 with her husband, Mattie Taiano. It features a steakhouse-inspired menu complemented by her inventive desserts, marking her most mature venture into brick-and-mortar hospitality.