Vanessa Baxter

Communicator: Cookbook author, food, travel, lifestyle writer, broadcaster

New Zealand

The past two years have been unusual for many.

Right now I am immersed into work with Talent Beyond Boundaries, looking after their social media communication and writing blogs for their website. It feels wonderful to have purpose and feel that my writing about displaced people and the chance for them to rebuild their lives has come at a perfect moment.
I'm also leading the digital marketing campaign for NZ Tomatoes - the board that represents our tomato growers here in NZ. I am producing e-books, web content and social content to connect buyers with our locally grown tomatoes.

I'm also the Food Editor for a local magazine supporting our Ellerslie business community as they remain resilient in the face of so much change and uncertainty.

Below is my bio pre-covid19. A lot has changed for me but the bio still stands.

Vanessa Baxter is a chef, award-winning cookbook writer, and Masterchef 2013 finalist. She believes food is the perfect medium for connection, creativity, communication, and understanding others. She has worked, lived, and eaten all around the world. Vanessa ran a school in Vietnam, studied Italian in Siena, worked as a private chef in Cape Cod, lived in Jakarta for 6 years, Singapore for 3 years, UK for 2 years and her birthplace Australia where she initially studied psychology and music.

She now lives in Auckland with her two teenage sons, Chris and Morgan, sits on the Board of NZ Food Writers and hosted 52 episodes of The Fearless Kitchen podcast. She has no intention of ever slowing down and loves to create delightful, memorable stories that inspire positive change. She has written for NZ Bite (Herald - food); Aus Women's Weekly (travel); Sing Women's Weekly (lifestyle); Garuda Inflight Magazine (travel) amongst others.

Vanessa published The Fearless Kitchen Cookbook in 2017, which has won 3 awards. She is a familiar face on NZ TV screens and a radio personality for discussions around food (and parenting).

Portfolio
Talent Beyond Boundaries
12/08/2022
Passion and persistence brought Maryam from Syria to Nova Scotia

Syria was descending into chaos as Maryam tried to complete her postgraduate master's degree in Maternity Care. Shattered, she witnessed daily fighting on the streets as her country collapsed. In fear for her life, she eventually realized she couldn't stay to finish her thesis.

Talent Beyond Boundaries
01/11/2022
Connecting a community with cuisine

TBB has created a free downloadable cookbook showcasing some of the wonderful recipes that bring together our Alumni, staff and volunteers from around the world.

Talent Beyond Boundaries
02/04/2022
Diala - taking one step at a time

When Diala's plane finally touched down in Toronto she had goosebumps. The last year had been exhausting and exhilarating and she could barely believe she had made it to Canada. She was here alongside her new husband, Yehya, who she had unexpectedly met through this process.

Talent Beyond Boundaries
10/19/2020
A Syrian chef with a ladle full of perseverance - Talent Beyond Boundaries

Adel has a passion for food and a dream to bring a deeper cultural understanding to our world through the blending of cuisines. He and his wife Sara are set to follow that dream to Horsham, regional Victoria. When life throws us an unexpected event it is natural to feel stressed.