Welcome to Better Chews by me, Zak Cannon.
I’m a pastry chef, baker, and recipe developer who trained in Texas, then London, before spending several months in Brazil, where my partner’s family introduced me to a whole new world of flavour. I landed in The Netherlands in summer 2026, and all of that time on the road is why this newsletter blends down-home sweets, elevated desserts, tropical flavours, and cosy bakes.
I was diagnosed with coeliac disease after a 10-year career in commercial kitchens/bakeries. At first I was devastated and confused and bitter. But since then, I’ve been working my ass off to create foods that are as good or better than their glutinous versions, not only to share with others but primarily because I stubbornly refuse to go without all the delicious foods I’d enjoyed before.
Many of my recipes are developed to fill voids I have identified: glutinous sweets and desserts that don’t yet have delicious GF versions. However, I also share recipes that are ‘accidently’ gluten-free (ie. frozen desserts, fruit-forward dishes, puddings, confectionary, etc), because this newsletter is meant to be more than simply converted recipes. I like to think beyond what my food is ‘free’ from, and follow my intuition to whatever sounds most delightful.
This is my place to share these recipes with you. Most have been meticulously tested and tinkered until I am certain it is about as good as could possibly be. Those recipes are formatted for home chefs/bakers but notes are included for professionals with access to specialty tools or who want to prepare products on a larger scale. I also share less-tested, more intuitive recipes for fun.
I have removed the paywall for these recipes. I now work as the head chef of a gluten-free restaurant in Leiden and the majority of my time is spent preparing food there and developing recipes for that (quickly growing!) business. If you wish to subscribe, even briefly, as a ‘thank you’ for these recipes, feel free but certainly not obligated. I will continue sharing recipes, albeit sparingly and more casually.
Don’t be a stranger! Use the comments to ask questions, DM me on Instagram, or email me at zak@better-chews.com. Being gluten-free can feel isolating and confusing, so let me lend an ear and a little clarity.
Welcome to Better Chews. Let’s get baking!
