Hi. I’m Ashley. I’ve been a professional baker and pastry chef for over 20 years, which means I started young, learned the hard way and I have an oven timer hard wired into my brain.

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I spent 13 of those years owning and operating Buttermilk Baking Co. in Newburyport, Massachusetts—waking up at ungodly hours, baking for entire communities, and willingly doing this every single day like a person who definitely makes good life choices. In 2024, I closed the doors. Not because I was done baking—but because I had a baby and realized sleep deprivation hits different when it’s not optional.

 

That baby is Lincoln, my son, and my current supervisor. He does not bake, does not contribute financially, and has very strong opinions about my availability.

 

I'm the one woman show behind Mrs. Lovett’s Bakehouse, a tiny operation in Rye, New Hampshire, where I bake everything by hand, from scratch, with real food and an aggressive amount of butter. No mixes. No shortcuts. No mercy. Just decades of experience, muscle memory, and the firm belief that butter solves most problems.

 

Mrs. Lovett’s Bakehouse is what happens when a career pastry chef slows down just enough to be intentional—but not enough to stop being obsessive. I still do everything by hand. I still care deeply about technique. I still refuse to cut corners. And yes, I still use an alarming amount of butter.

 

I’ve burned myself more times than I can count. I talk to dough. I trust my instincts more than recipes. This bakehouse is the result of a career spent chasing flavor, texture, and the perfect crumb—now filtered through motherhood, chaos, and the knowledge that life is too short for bad pastry.

 

Thanks for being here. I made this for you.