Gabriela Oporto

Founder of Sydney’s Bakealicious by Gabriela, Gabriela Oporto creates delicious cakes (and amazing empanadas) with real ingredients, fresh flavours, and a Chilean twist.

Through her highly successful bakery in Forestville, NSW, she has won over many fans, cooked for Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, and is a regular on TV, both cooking on camera and talking about cakes, baking and South American flavours.

Gabriela started baking at the age of two, growing up in both Australia and Chile, and after studying in Italy, returned to Australia to complete a degree in Nutrition and Food. After working for catering companies and the food media, she finally followed her dream and started her own bakery business.

With passion, determination and very little money, she began her business from her home in 2016, door-knocking corporates in North Sydney selling her cakes, before setting up a shopfront in Willoughby, and finally moving to larger premises in Forestville in 2021, where she remains. Largely self-taught, she now has a staff of nine, plus three delivery vans, spending her time creating new flavour combinations, managing the business and of course, still baking her famous cakes and making her customers happy.

Believing that food needs to be shared and culture needs to be celebrated, Gabriela says that she has a passion for her job because “creating something with love and your hands, plus being able to share it with others is pretty special”.

“Living in Chile taught me so much about cooking, our family and culture,” she says. “We would spend most Sundays with extended family and friends having ‘sobremesa’, or staying at the table after a meal talking and relaxing.”

Bakealicious by Gabriela caters to all dietary requirements: diabetics, coeliacs, nut, soy and dairy allergies, and vegans.

“No one should miss out on a yummy cake for their birthday or special occasion,” she says. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing a smile on people’s faces when they eat one of my cakes because we all deserve to be able to enjoy a special dessert no matter the dietary requirement we may have.”

Gabriela’s long-term goal is to earn enough money from her business to help orphanage children in Chile and give back to the community.

Media appearances include:

The Cook Up with Adam Liaw SBS, 2024

Everyday Gourmet Channel 10, 2025

House and Garden Magazine 2025

Take 5 Magazine 2024

Baking magazine 2025

Plus appearances on Channel 7, Channel 9 and ABC Radio