Jeroen was born in Wuustwezel, Belgium, in 1985, into a family of 12 with diverse characters and careers. At age 12, Jeroen initially chose to become a carpenter, but after three years of study, it was clear this wasn’t the right path. His parents sent him to culinary school, where he discovered a passion for baking. He excelled in his culinary studies and began working as a pastry chef. Jeroen later moved to Australia and took on roles as a pastry chef, general manager, and restaurateur of The Pantry in Brighton.

While at the culinary institute, Jeroen’s interest in chocolate and desserts deepened. He started working weekends at a local bakery, Wouters, and did his first internship at 16. The following year, he interned at one of Belgium’s best pastry shops, Delrey, and specialized in chocolate and fine desserts. He won third place in his first chocolate sculpture competition for Belgian students, graduated with honors, and was invited to a five-day training session with Belgium’s top students organized by an international pastry supplier.

Jeroen’s career began at Mare Patisserie in Breda, The Netherlands, under one of the country’s best pastry chefs. After four years, he returned to Belgium to help improve the quality at the bakery where he first worked. His mentor, Bert, taught him valuable lessons about hard work, systematic thinking, and staying true to himself.

Four years later, Jeroen moved to Australia to work for Guylian Belgian Chocolate Café in Sydney, followed by a role at Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, where he helped attract over 550,000 visitors in the first year. He was then recruited by Ganache Chocolates in South Yarra before moving on to The Pantry in Brighton.

At The Pantry, Jeroen was initially given the opportunity to revamp all desserts, eventually opening Lickings Fine Ice Cream. He went on to win several prestigious awards, including the Callebaut Best Chocolate Entremet in Australia, a gold medal at the Australian Culinary Challenge, and two gold and two silver awards at the Australian Dairy Championships for his gelato. He also played a major role in the food truck arm of the business, growing it from a small marquee at a local Brighton food event to breaking sales records at the Australian Open and the Melbourne Grand Prix. He managed a team of 140 at The Pantry, where he continued to grow and share his love for hospitality. The Pantry has become a significant part of his life, challenging and inspiring him every day.

After his role at The Pantry, Jeroen was asked to join the My Goodness group as a partner. In this role, he helped grow sales by 80% in 3 years and made the business profitable through strategic operational improvements and menu development