Since this is an online bakery, let’s chat about baking. Have you ever made a ton of cookies and pies for the holidays with your loved ones? I have and I think that is what created my passion for baking! My mother, my sister, and I would stand at the counter rolling sugar cookie dough or squishing crumbs to make my mom’s famous apple crumb pie. My passion for baking wasn’t really there yet, but my love for eating raw dough was. That was honestly the best part of baking to me. Why bother cooking the dough, it tasted better raw (it still does). For the people who are like “bleh, gross! Raw cookie dough can make you sick,” just leave, I’m not here for any negative talk. Thanks bye!
Back to baking! As I grew up, I couldn’t wait to make batches of cookies and pies with my sister and mother because it was our time to be silly, sing, and chat. I wanted to always hold onto that feeling. I knew I was passionate about baking and cooking which is what brought me from wanting to be a second grade teacher (laughable now) to a pastry chef. Even to this day, every time I’m in the kitchen, I’m immediately relaxed and carefree; no problems, just me and my mixer.
It’s funny how the best memories are what drove me to make certain decisions in my life. Quick fun fact, I’m obsessed with Disney! My memories of Disney World drove me to intern and become a chef there, but I think God deterred me away because I applied for the wrong internship and landed quick service, not pastry chef. If you can nail an interview with Disney, any other interview in life is a breeze.
When I am stressed at my 9-5, I bake. When finals came up in college, I baked at the weirdest hours of the night. My bedtime is now 8:00pm, so the thought of baking cookies at 1:00am would never be an option anymore. I was familiar with what needed to be done and everyone was so happy when cookies or whatever was made was put out to try. I got addicted to the feedback too! Who doesn’t want to hear that their cooking is delicious?
If I could go back to talk to my younger self, I would tell her to keep holding onto those nostalgic feelings. Sometimes I am so in my thoughts that I talk myself out of dreams, but luckily my heart never lost the desire. Maybe we need to make some decisions without using our heads. It would be nice to try things knowing you wouldn’t fail, but I keep hearing failure is a part of life blah blah. Failure aside, I continue to bake for people because it makes everyone involved happy (unless the mailman dropkicks the cookies to your door)! For that, I am sorry because it’s happened and people get pissed.
Every choice I made in my culinary career has taken me to become my own boss. If I told my younger self that, she would have the biggest smile on her face. Keep pursuing your passions, you never know what doors might open if you follow your heart and push fear aside.