I’m Maria — the smiley face (and flour-covered hands) behind Smilbite!

I grew up in a little town in Venezuela, where I started baking cakes at the age of 15… mostly so I could eat the batter. I was on track to become an architect — until I realized I was more excited about building cakes than buildings! So I swapped blueprints for baking trays, enrolled in cooking school back home, and haven’t looked back since.

Six years ago, I moved to Australia with big dreams and a suitcase full of dulce de leche. Since then, I’ve been lucky to learn from incredible people in the industry — and even luckier to be welcomed with open arms (and hungry mouths) by not only my Latin community but by amazing humans from all kinds of backgrounds.

I’m so grateful to everyone who’s been part of this sweet journey. It brings me endless joy to keep sharing the rich, colorful flavors of Latin America — one cake, cookie, or cheeky alfajor at a time!