Originally from Canberra, Pippa James worked for Janet Jeffs before moving to London, on a mission to get some experience in fine-dining restaurants. She worked at Pied-à-Terre and The Greenhouse, before returning to Australia as restaurant manager at Flying Fish in Sydney, and then HR manager at Vue de monde in Melbourne. Pippa was general manager of the Andrew McConnell restaurants Cutler & Co. and Golden Fields, before opening Tivoli Road Bakery with Michael.