How it all started...
It all started when I would stay at my grandmother's while my parents were at work and my older sister was in school. Every time she was in the kitchen preparing food for everyone, I would climb onto the chair and watch in awe as she chopped up vegetables, sauteed it with meat, and the next thing I knew, it was ready to serve. As time went on, my grandmother would let me help preparing the dishes and I became the one who chopped vegetables and set up the ingredients she would need next. This time in my life is one I will never forget because I see it as the spark that lit up my passion for culinary arts and my grandmother is my inspiration to everything. Attending school made me busy and I wasn't able to see my grandmother everyday, but that didn't stop me. I started lingering in the kitchen with my mom while she made food and asked all these questions, I'm sure she got annoyed at some point. My knowledge of cooking was growing and my interest was exploding.
Most kids watched the Disney channel or Nickelodeon -- not that I didn't, but I would watch Iron Chef on the Food Network. The most distinct memory was when I was sitting in my parents' room watching Emeril Live and he was cooking dishes for astronauts to take with them into space. He was making a loaded mashed potato recipe. (Many of my family members know exactly what I am talking about). I had a notebook and colored pencils on my lap, quickly writing down what he was adding, how much to add, how long to cook it, and the steps he did next. Something in me changed and I was eager to try it for myself since we don't even have "smell-ivision." With only a few optional ingredients missing and my mom's help, I was able to create a similar dish that made my taste buds explode! It was one of the greatest moments of my life knowing that I was able to create my own dish and now my relatives crave for it at family parties. Seeing what I was capable of and excited about this accomplishment, I came home from school the following day with an empty stomach and a plan to make a small serving just for myself to munch on. After this, I knew I had so much potential to do more and create a masterpiece.
After many years, I got more into baking since it was easier to do in large batches to share with my friends and family; also, my older sister was into baking. She was the one who started making cookie dough, brownies, and cupcakes, but she got busy and wasn't at home a lot so I was kind of pushed into her place. My mom told me to make the cookie dough for parties and I tried more recipes. Soon enough, I was making cupcakes, creme brulee, scones, cream puffs (profiteroles), and I continue to experiment which much more. So many of my friends and families loved everything I was making and were requesting it for parties. Quite a few of my relatives brought up the question if I was selling my baked goods which eventually lead me to this day as I type this out. I'm still an amateur but I promise to make your order with as much care and effort to make it a memorable moment.