Zoë Neal François, born May 14, 1975, is an American pastry chef, cookbook author, and television host based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
She has authored or co-authored over 10 cookbooks and hosts the hit series Zoë Bakes on the Magnolia Network.
Who is Zoë François?
Zoë François is an American pastry chef, cookbook author, food photographer, and TV host best known for founding the ZoëBakes brand.
She built her career at the intersection of science-backed baking, accessible teaching, and stunning food photography.
Her path into food television mirrors that of Julia Child. Unlike most chefs who launch a TV show before writing books, François built her audience through bestselling cookbooks first, then moved into television.
She has described her mission as taking the mystery out of baking.
Her work spans bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries, all taught through her warm and approachable style. Millions of home bakers follow her across her blog, Substack newsletter, and social media channels.
Early Life of Zoë François
Zoë François was born on May 14, 1975, in Connecticut and raised on a commune in Vermont. Life on the commune meant living off the land, keeping bees, churning butter, making granola and bread, and eating carob instead of refined sugar.
She had little access to television during her childhood. It wasn’t until around age 9 that she first watched TV and discovered Julia Child, sparking a lifelong passion for food.
Growing up without sugar or electricity made her eventual career all the more striking.
Zoë François Age
Zoë François is 51 years old as of 2026, born on May 14, 1975. Her zodiac sign is Taurus. She continues to teach, write, and create content at a pace that shows no signs of slowing.
Zoë François Ethnicity and Nationality
Zoë François is American by nationality, born in Connecticut and raised in Vermont. Her ethnic background has not been publicly confirmed in detail. Her cookbook Zoë Bakes Cookies references her great-great-grandmothers and includes recipes that reflect a mix of family heritage, including Jewish culinary traditions.
Zoë François Education
François studied fine art at the University of Vermont, where she also founded Zoë’s Cookies, a side business selling gourmet cookies from a cart on Burlington’s Church Street. She graduated with a BFA.
After graduation, she and her husband Graham traveled through Europe, tasting pastries along the way. That trip deepened her commitment to becoming a professional baker.
She then trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York to gain a stronger foundation in the science behind pastry.
Zoë François Career
Early Career
François moved to Minneapolis in 1993, where she began working in professional kitchens. One of her first major roles was as a pastry chef assistant to celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, who was then opening a restaurant in the city.
Zimmern quickly elevated her to executive pastry chef. He also recognized her ability to break down complex techniques for beginners and encouraged her to teach.
She has continued teaching ever since, now with nearly 30 years of classroom experience.
The Artisan Bread Series
François met Dr. Jeff Hertzberg at a toddler music class while both were raising young children. He shared a home bread recipe with her that would change both their careers.
Together, they co-authored Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which became a massive bestseller and helped fuel the no-knead bread movement. The series grew into eight books in total.
The Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day series has sold nearly a million copies.
Solo Cookbooks and Television
In March 2021, François published her first solo cookbook, Zoë Bakes Cakes, which won the IACP Award for Best Baking Book that year. The book contains over 100 recipes for layers, loaves, bundts, and more.
Her follow-up, Zoë Bakes Cookies, became a New York Times bestselling cookbook. It also won the IACP 2024 International Cookbook Award and earned praise from outlets including Food & Wine, the Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times.
Season 1 of her show Zoë Bakes launched on the Magnolia Network in July 2021, produced by Andrew Zimmern’s company Intuitive Content. Season 2 followed in January 2022, and Season 3 began rolling out in fall 2022. All three seasons are available on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
Current Ventures
François runs Zoë’s Baking Academy through her Substack newsletter, where she teaches online baking classes and shares deep-dive tutorials. She also produces regular baking videos on YouTube.
Her blog ZoëBakes remains one of her primary content hubs. She continues to develop pastry menus as a freelance chef and makes media appearances in the food and baking space.
As of 2026, she has written or co-written 10 cookbooks in total.
Zoë François Awards and Recognition
François received an Emmy nomination for a holiday TV special she co-hosted with Andrew Zimmern. She did not win, but the nomination marked a major milestone in her television career.
Her cookbook Zoë Bakes Cakes won the 2022 IACP Award for Best Baking Book. Zoë Bakes Cookies took the IACP 2024 International Cookbook Award, adding a second major industry honor to her name.
The Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day series earned wide critical praise and helped redefine accessible home bread baking. Her recipes have also appeared in publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Cooking, and Cherry Bombe.
Zoë François Husband
Zoë François is married to Graham François. The couple wed on August 24, 1991, on Lake Champlain, shortly after she graduated from the University of Vermont.
Graham has worked as an architect and lead developer, and later as a senior principal at Slalom, a technology consulting firm. He is also an AWS-certified cloud practitioner.
The couple has lived in Minneapolis’s Kenwood neighborhood since 2012.
Zoë François Children
Zoë and Graham François have two sons together. Both are grown and no longer living at home, though François has noted they return for cookies as often as possible.
She left restaurant work to raise her sons, which was also the period when she met Jeff Hertzberg and began the cookbook collaboration that defined her career. Her children are not in the public eye, and their names have not been publicly confirmed.
Zoë François Net Worth
Zoë François’s estimated net worth is $8 million as of 2026. Her income comes from multiple streams: bestselling cookbook sales, her Magnolia Network TV show, brand partnerships, online classes through her Substack newsletter, and freelance pastry work.
The Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day series alone has sold close to a million copies, making it a significant long-term revenue source.
Add in two IACP Award-winning solo cookbooks and a three-season television show, and her financial footprint across the culinary world is substantial.
Her Zoë’s Baking Academy on Substack also contributes to her income as a subscription-based teaching platform.
Zoë François Social Media
François maintains an active presence across multiple platforms. Her Instagram account operates under the handle @zoebakes, where she shares baking content, recipes, and behind-the-scenes kitchen photos.
She also produces tutorials and recipe videos on her YouTube channel. Her Substack newsletter, Zoë’s Baking Academy, serves as both a teaching platform and a content community for dedicated home bakers.
Her online presence grew significantly during the pandemic, when she held Instagram Live baking sessions that drew large audiences and led directly to her TV show deal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What companies does Zoë François own?
Zoë François founded the ZoëBakes brand, which operates as a content, media, and education platform. It includes her website, blog, Substack newsletter (Zoë’s Baking Academy), and social media channels.
How old is Zoë François?
Zoë François is 51 years old as of 2026, born on May 14, 1975.
What is Zoë François’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth is $8 million, earned through cookbook sales, television, online teaching, and brand partnerships.
Where did Zoë François study?
She studied fine art at the University of Vermont, then trained in pastry at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
Who is Zoë François married to?
She is married to Graham François. They wed on August 24, 1991, on Lake Champlain and have lived in Minneapolis together ever since.
How did Zoë François become successful?
She co-authored Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day with Jeff Hertzberg after meeting him at a toddler music class. The series sold nearly a million copies and established her as a leading voice in home baking.
The Bottom Line
Zoë François published Zoë Bakes Cakes in March 2021, and it won the IACP Award for Best Baking Book that same year. Her follow-up, Zoë Bakes Cookies, became a New York Times bestseller and won the IACP 2024 International Cookbook Award.
She built her career from an unusual starting point — a commune in Vermont without electricity or sugar. That background gave her a distinct perspective on food that runs through all of her work.
As of 2026, she continues to teach through Zoë’s Baking Academy on Substack, create baking content on YouTube, and develop new recipes from her Minneapolis kitchen.
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