Pastel walls with pictures of printed out magazine reviews is the first thing seen. Walking straight up to the counter and display of all sorts of delicious pastries; cakes, cookies, donuts, and muffins. Mouths watering at the site of my creations. Looking up to the sign, I see all my hard work and determination pay off for this moment. I step back and see my very own bakery, "Kris' Kakes."
As a kid I was surrounded by bakers. My maternal grandma was always (and still is) baking. For Christmas my paternal grandma would send home made fudge from New Mexico. And the biggest reason I fell in love with baking, was because of my aunt. She makes all the cakes for birthdays and the most amazing platter of Christmas cookies. I was inspired at a young age by all these bakers.
I love how everything has to be so exact. It keeps me engaged and paying attention to what I’m doing. It is definitely harder than cooking because in cooking it doesn’t matter how much of one thing you add and if it tastes bad because, there’s always something out there to help fix that. In baking you would need to throw out that one batch and make it again.
Sixth grade is when it all started for me. Being introduced into the Family and Consumer Science elective in middle school was the highlight of my year. We cooked all the time, simple things of course like a chocolate cake or veggie dip, but it was a start. After that year I was certain I was going to be a chef. But the more I thought about all the food we’d have to make and try was horrifying to me. Anyone who knows me, knows I’m about one of the pickiest eaters alive and I hate trying new foods. So the next best thing for me was to become a pastry chef.
In high school I did FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America) and that only progressed my passion. I got to compete with others who also loved to do what I loved to do. It made me grow confident when I saw the judges liked my decorating skills. It showed me I could do so much more than what I thought I could do. When my last competition came to an end in April and I got a 99/100 at state, I knew this was only the beginning for me.
Seven years after knowing my dream and following what I love, I’m starting my first year at MATC (Milwaukee Area Technical College) in the Baking and Pastry Arts Program and learning from some of the top pastry chefs in Milwaukee.
I only have one goal in life and that is after I graduate, to work in bakeries, learn the business under some of the best, one day have my own place, and hope to be one of the best.
