Our baked goods are handcrafted, with these hands!
Vanessa
(aka Veeg, aka VG herself!)
Vanessa is the ultimate talent behind the scenes and an absolute wizard in the kitchen. She attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY in the early ‘80s and has been mastering her craft ever since.
*Fun fact: Vanessa has lived all over the country and the world, including a few years in Italy as a child!
Dave
(aka Cookie Man, aka the Pie Guy himself!)
Dave – now retired!! – was the “Master Sweets-Slinger” and everybody’s favorite face of VG’s Bakery! He has been married to Vanessa since 1982 and has been supporting their joint bakery dream ever since.
*Fun fact: During his school years at Farragut High, Dave was the lead singer of a band called Johnny Flush and the Commodes. He was Johnny!
Katie
Daughter of Vanessa and Dave, Katie likes to consider herself “Master Sweets Slinger Jr”, following in her dad’s footsteps! She is Front of House Manager at VG’s and has been an official part of the team since 2009.
*Fun fact: Katie has a side-business painting custom pet portraits called Boogity Paint! Check her out on Instagram @boogitypaint
Sarah
Our stellar Associate General Manager! She keeps our FOH and BOH connected and working like a well-oiled machine. After a full season working the farmers’ market booth downtown with Mason, Sarah joined the front-of-house crew in the fall of 2022.
*Fun Fact: Sarah is a cross-stitch MASTER. Just ask her how many different colors of thread she has. See her creations HERE!
Drew
Drew works at VG’s as a Kitchen Manager, working alongside Sarah to delegate the work needed in order to bring the baked goods to your hands. Since starting in 2015, he has worked up the ranks from our “Master Hand Pie Maker” to being a lead in the BOH.
*Fun fact: When Drew isn’t busy making the world’s best hand pies, he is a talented rapper!
Hannah
Hannah works on the VG’s team as our lead Cake Decorator. Hannah joined us in 2016 and has wowed us with her quickly-expanding skill set ever since! Not only does she keep our cake case stocked for those ‘last minute’ needs, but her specially decorated cakes have really showcased her skill. Hannah is always surprising us with new techniques and fun cakes designs. We love having her in our Cake Department!
*Fun fact: Hannah LOVES music festivals. She’s been to more than 10 and is just getting started!
Riley
Son of Vanessa and Dave, Riley was born with a talent for cooking and baking. By 8 years old, he was cooking whatever he was craving. It was normal to wake up on the weekends to him preparing scratch-made pancakes or breakfast burritos! Riley is a baker in the VG’s kitchen and has been a part of the team since 2011.
*Fun fact: Riley has always had an artistic flair. As a kid, he was known to make his own clothes! He is also an amazing stencil-artist and an avid skateboarder.
Melanie
She’s held many positions for the bakery over the years and today, Melanie works for the VG’s team as a Farmers’ Market Representative. Melanie has been a part of the team since 2007, making her one of the longest-standing employees!