Hello

I'm Griffen Wall Galluzzi, the founder, owner, and head baker at Dragonfly Bakes. Having been raised by an American family of food lovers, my passion for making wholesome, nutritious, mostly plant-based foods comes naturally to me. I worked as a baker in Boulder, Colorado and my hometown Memphis, Tennessee making a variety of pastries, cakes, cookies, and breads, before continuing my education and expanding my experience at Johnson and Wales University in Denver, Colorado. There, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and Food Service Management. 

 

Several years into my career in the food service and hospitality industry, I found myself visiting some friends living in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands with my now husband, David. The beautiful landscape of TCI was definitely a draw, but it was the people that I quickly fell in love with. So we made Provo our home in 2017.  I worked at Amanyara Resort, Retreat Kitchen, and have been baking and cooking from my home kitchen for friends across Provo, all the while finding my place in this special island community.

 

A few years ago, after experiencing some new and surprising health issues, I discovered I had developed an allergy to wheat and a gluten intolerance. This realization was heartbreaking for a life-long bread lover, but more than anything, it served as great motivation to develop gluten-free and allergy-friendly recipes that would still feel satisfying, and a little indulgent, while not making me sick. My time in the restaurant industry taught me that I'm not alone in wanting to indulge in the occasional pastry or sandwich but having to abstain due to a life-altering allergy or disease. So I began to learn everything I could about and experiment with gluten-free baking, and I quickly discovered that gluten-free doesn’t have to be bland and boring; it can be just as delicious and nutritious as it’s gluten-full version! Once word got out (as it so easily does in a small island community), I began getting requests for gluten-free bread and treats from friends and acquaintances. I love being able to provide happy food experiences to people like me who had been missing out on the simple pleasures of a fresh-baked treat.

 

Dragonfly Bakes was born out of my desire to spread the love of good, wholesome, homemade baked treats without the worry. I'm always working on perfecting my recipes and developing new ones to expand the selection of delicious gluten-free bakes here in TCI.