Kate Reid is a visionary entrepreneur and the mastermind behind Lune Croissanterie. Kate’s journey towards becoming a renowned pastry chef and the founder of an internationally acclaimed bakery has been anything but linear.
After studying Aerospace Engineering at RMIT University, Kate followed her lifelong passion for Formula 1 racing, accepting a much coveted role as an aerodynamicist for the Williams F1 team in the UK. After three years she realised the reality of working in the industry wasn’t living up to the dream and so she returned to Melbourne with a new ambition; to pursue a career in pastry.
After a brief spell as a stagiaire in one of Paris’ most illustrious bakeries, Kate began to approach the baking process with an engineering mindset. She began experimenting with croissants, continually testing variables until she accomplished the croissant that started it all. In 2012, she took a leap of faith and opened Lune Croissanterie, a small bakery specialising only in the pastry she had perfected – Croissants.
Lune quickly captured the hearts and minds of locals and tourists alike, placing its firmly on the map as a destination for foodies. With her exceptional attention to detail and dedication to quality, Kate transformed the traditional croissant and the environment in which it is enjoyed, into a world class experience like no other.
What sets Kate apart is her unwavering commitment to excellence. From sourcing the finest ingredients to ensuring precision in every step of the baking process, she has created a business synonymous with perfection and innovation, with brand equity that transcends the food and beverage industry.
This relentless pursuit has garnered praise from celebrity chefs, food critics, and pastry enthusiasts from around the world. In 2016 the New York Times claimed that Lune makes croissants that ‘may be the finest you will find anywhere in the world’.
Under Kate’s exceptional leadership, Lune Croissanterie has grown from a single location in Fitzroy, to an empire supporting over 350 staff in Melbourne, Brisbane and, Sydney across 9 stores. This success has allowed her to share not only her delectable pastries, but her story of leadership and pursuit of excellence to inspire audiences country-wide. In August 2026 the business opened their 10th store, Moon, in DeGrave’s Street specialising in their signature deep-fried choux pastry crullers – creating another cult speciality that is a must visit for any trip to Melbourne.
She likes to think of herself a Creative Engineer, which is true. However, she is also a visionary, an entrepreneur, a business leader and an inspiration to anyone who has a dream and the tenacity to achieve it, no matter what.
Kate was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business at RMIT in December 2023 and was appointed a ‘Friend of Australia’ with Tourism Australia in September 2024.
Kate is the author of ‘Lune: Croissants All Day, All Night’, published in 2022 and ‘Destination Moon; A memoir about fast cars, french pastries and finding purpose’ was released in October 2025.
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