Welcome to Better Chews!
Better cakes, better bakes, better chews
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. Each recipe has been meticulously tested and tinkered until I am certain it is about as good as could possibly be. They 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.
Many recipes are available for free and become paywalled after a few months. More advanced recipes, plus those which utilise the basic recipes to create something more refined, will be available to premium subscribers. These recipes require many hours of my attention and personal investment to develop, so premium subscriptions are greatly appreciated and I hope you always feel the price is appropriate for what you gain from the newsletter. If you want a recipe and can’t afford to subscribe, just give me a shout and I’ll do my best to provide it for you.
Don’t be a stranger! Use the comments to ask questions, DM me on Instagram, or email me at zachary@hausofgf.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!
