Arni

 Gemma

Arni comes from a home where food is a love language -- one that she inherited. She started baking at eight years old, and over the subsequent years learned her way around a kitchen through a long series of trial and error. At thirteen, she started a baking business called Dollop Bakes, which she continued into university. Now, Dollop Bakes remains a platform to continue documenting her culinary endeavors.

Arni also completed a Global Wine Studies certificate in Aix-en-Provence, France, sparking her passion for wine, followed by a stint in London working at Mouse & Grape. She's passionate about preserving the rich history of wine and showcasing its diversity.

Arni is passionate about hosting and sharing her love for food and wine with her community.

Gemma’s relationship with food has not always been simple. Growing up in high-level sport meant that discipline and strict nutrition shaped the way she understood food. Yet, being born and raised in Italy makes it almost impossible to resist its food culture.

Some of her earliest memories revolve around early mornings at the San Benedetto Market, discovering quality ingredients and local products.

After leaving home at a young age, cooking first became a necessity, then a relief, and eventually a passion. Gemma began working in restaurants on the front-of-house side before moving into the kitchen, where she learned the dynamics of a professional kitchen at a Michelin Green Star restaurant.

Today, her cooking style is defined by sustainable, seasonal, and home-cooked cuisine.