Welcome to Taisty Bytes!
Who I am, what I do and why you should stick around.
Hello and welcome to my Substack!
I’m Mark, a thirty-something finding his way around the kitchen. Currently living in the beautiful Devon countryside with my partner Ben and dog Hiro (you will see a lot of him).
At the start of last year, after a lifetime of being completely useless in the kitchen, I decided to take on the challenge of learning how to bake. What started as a bit of fun quickly turned into something much bigger - I discovered a real passion for it.
Over the past year, I’ve tackled everything from my first burnt Basque cheesecake to successfully making laminated dough (those croissants were ~chef’s kiss~). I even hosted my own Taisty Bytes Bake Off alongside the latest Great British Bake Off series and, best of all, have built an incredible community of fellow food lovers along the way.
Check out my Bake Off wrap up post »
GTBBO: That's a Wrap
·If you’re new here: hello, I’m Mark 👋 This time last year, almost to the day, I decided to learn how to bake. I had no experience and was quite literally useless in the kitchen. Fast forward 12 months on and here I am, wrapping up my very first Bake Off bake-along challenge.
This year I’m excited to keep learning, experimenting and of course, sharing the journey with you. Ready, Steady… BAKE!
What you will find here:
Journal Entries: I’ll be sharing what I’ve been up to in the kitchen. Expect stories, recipes, and plenty of delicious food photography. As someone who’s still finding his way around the kitchen, this will be a live journal of my learning process - hopefully, it will be as helpful for you as it is for me!
Cook the Books: I have a slightly out-of-control cookbook collection (hands up if you do too!), and this year I’m actually going to use it. Each month, I’ll pick a cookbook and commit to making at least five recipes from it - no excuses! I’ll report back with what I learned, what worked (or didn’t), and share the best finds with you. Feel free to cook along with me!
Behind the Scenes of My Cookbook: Yes, you read that right - I’m writing a cookbook! It’s still early days, but I’ll be documenting the process, sharing sneak peeks and giving my paid subscribers exclusive behind-the-scenes access as I figure out how the hell to actually write this book idea I have.
Food Photography: Capturing the beauty and occasional chaos of baking has become a huge passion of mine. As I continue honing my photography and storytelling skills, I’ll be bringing you mouthwatering images and sharing what I learn along the way.
The Great Taisty Bytes Bake Off (GTBBO) Returns!: Last year’s Taisty Bytes Bake Off was one of my proudest moments - and it’s coming back! I’ll be tackling every Great British Bake Off challenge this year, pushing myself even further and hopefully avoiding a caramel-induced breakdown.
A Growing, Supportive Community: At the heart of Taisty Bytes is an amazing community of food lovers, bakers, and curious minds. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s a spot for you here. I love hearing from you and your input shapes so much of what I do. Always feel free to jump into the comments and say hi!
All posts are FREE - but by subscribing, you’re directly supporting this journey. Your contributions help fund ingredients, equipment, cookbooks, and photography gear, ensuring that I can keep experimenting, learning, and sharing it all with you. Every bit of support helps make this project possible, and I’m incredibly grateful to have you along for the ride.
What people are saying about Taisty Bytes:
A little bit about me…
I grew up on a farm in Lancashire, in a big family home where the door was always open to friends and family. My journey has taken me through several exciting chapters - being an Under 18 show jumping champion, a social media trainer, a web developer, a graphic designer, and a small business owner. These experiences have shaped who I am today, leading me to this new chapter in my life.
When I first started this journey, I found humour in the fact that, despite everything I’d accomplished, I knew next to nothing about baking. Now, after spending time learning and experimenting, I can say I’ve come a long way - although there’s still so much more to explore.
…and a little bit more - The Quick-Fire Round!
I’m obsessed with technology
Japan is my happy place. Dreams were made when I finally got to visit for my 30th
I love helping people and sharing what I’ve learned along the way.
I have a lot of hobbies: photography, illustrating, hiking, video games, to name a few
I’ll leave it here for now. I hope this has been helpful to you. If there’s anything you’re curious about, I’m just a message away.
- Mark
Mark I love this introduction! Looking forward to hearing more about your dream bakery and seeing the progress with your cookbook!
You are killing it Mark! Great intro! You’re so awesome and I’m so proud of you and all you are doing! 😎 p.s. say hi to Hiro!!