Meet Pastry Chef Jaleesa Mason! Her Bio, Age, Husband, Career

Season 8 of the Spring Baking Championship wrapped with an explosive episode on 2 May 2022 declaring Jaleesa Mason as its winner.

The popular Food Network reality TV show had captured the heated competition between some of the best-trained and most creative bakers and dessert makers and among them, it was Jaleesa who was crowned the winner after she brought on the competition Harlem flair and passion for all things natural and sweet.

Now read through this ‘Jaleesa Mason Bio’ and discover Jaleesa’s age, personal life, and Spring Baking Championship journey.

Meet Jaleesa Mason, Spring Baking Championship Season 8 Winner

The finale of Season 8 of Spring Baking Championship completed with Romuald Guiot hanging up his apron after learning that a surprise challenge would involve sprinkles. He was set to compete against Dennis Van. And so, soon after the shocking twist, Jaleesa won in the first place.

Jaleesa impressed hardest-to-please judges with her ornate spring wedding cake and walked away with not only the title of Spring Baking Champion, but also $25,000 (minus taxes).

But despite the triumph, Jaleesa was strictly forbidden from leaking the information that she had won. Later, in an interview with NJ.com, Jaleesa revealed that she was not allowed to tell anyone, not even her husband, and it was the toughest part of all.

When a recruiter on Food Network reached out to her for the competition, via Instagram, she initially thought it was a scam. But even when she realized it was not, there was a lot to consider — Who was going to run the store with the husband? Who was going to watch the kids, the youngest being just 8 weeks old? — and other things.

Jaleesa Mason Career

It was a plastic surgeon that Jaleesa Mason originally dreamt of becoming. But during junior high schooling, she realized that the dreams she had of becoming a plastic surgeon presented a reality she was not all that interested in. Then one day someone recommended that she simply do what she enjoyed and she thought of baking. Only then did she think of it as a career choice.

Jaleesa then got into a pastry program at Culinary Institute of America and after Maison Kayser she worked in specialty cake shops around the area most notably, Carlo’s Bake Shop, to gain more experience and further refine her decorating skills. Then the Mo and Jay Pastry happened in 2016. It started out as a wholesale retailer selling baked goods to numerous cafes throughout New York and New Jersey.

After a few years of working for others, Jaleesa decided to open up her own custom cake business. And so Sweet Memories by Jaleesa happened in 2018.

The onset of the COVID pandemic saw them open a storefront to offset the decline in sales across their businesses. And though both the business suffered back then, Mo & Jay Pastry especially has seen an increase in foot traffic and an uptick in sales since her Food Network gig.

Jaleesa Mason Husband

After graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in 2014, Jaleesa Mason went on to work as a pastry chef at Maison Kayser, a bakery and cafe with various locations around Manhattan. She developed a close mentorship relationship with its Executive Pastry Chef. It was also there that she met her future husband, Mohamad Al Kassem, who was the Executive Sous Chef there.

Fast forward to today, they seemed happily married and also ran Mo & Jay Pastry together. The couple also is the parents of two kids Olive and Charlie. Olive, the youngest was born sometime in 2021, and Charlie Al Kassem was born exactly on 26 January 2018. Charlie also already had an Instagram account where it was said that he was born with grade III unilateral microtia.

Jaleesa discussed in an interview that her kids were literally born and raised in their bakery. So, they say Mo & Jay has been a family affair since it opened its doors in November 2020.

The mom of two says they did not have child care up until a month ago (from May 2022). As a result, 4-year-old Charlie has been their resident taste-tester. For his birthday in January 2022, Jaleesa made sure he got a custom Megalodon shark cake modeled after the Monster Jam truck.

Is Jaleesa Mason On Instagram?

Indeed! Jaleesa Mason could be found on Instagram @sugar_chef and it included 534 posts and 1,660 followers as of 4 May 2022.

Also, Jaleesa kept his people posted on the internet on TikTok @smjcakes and ‘Jaleesa Al Kassem’ Facebook.

Jaleesa Mason Age

In 2021, Jaleesa Mason reached the age of 28.

Jaleesa Mason Family

Jaleesa Mason’s mum Valerie Mason was so proud and at the loss of words as her baby won the Food Network’s Spring Baking Competition. She had been rooting for her daughter to win the show since the beginning. Often on her social media, she thanked people who had been supporting Jaleesa; stopping by her bakery; sending well wishes.

It is apparent from the matriarch that Jaleesa inherited her cooking skills. From a young age, as Jaleesa helped her mum stir bowls of batter and decorate Christmas cookies, she realized she loved the ability baking had in creating memories and bringing people together.

Jaleesa has also opened up that she grew up with a tiny family.

Where Is Jaleesa Mason From?

Born and raised in Spanish Harlem, New York City, Jaleesa Mason was based in Bloomfield, New Jersey as of 2022.

Related FAQs

• When Is Jaleesa Mason’s Birthday?

Jaleesa Mason celebrates her birthday on the 7th of June. For people born on this day, their zodiac sign is Gemini.

• How Tall Is Jaleesa Mason?

Jaleesa stands above 5’6” tall.

• How Much Is Jaleesa Mason’s Net Worth?

Jaleesa Mason reportedly had more than $300K as net worth as of April 2022.

She later revealed that she plans to invest the $25K cash prize that she won from Food Network in her business. She said that she hoped to get a second location for a commissary; so they can have much more space to produce.

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