By Alesha Capone
How did your love of baking begin?
I spent a lot of my time with my grandma in the kitchen. I learnt her secret sponge cake recipe, along with other secrets which have inspired me in my baking journey.
How did you get started in business?
It started out when I took some time off from TAFE, where I was studying a pastry chef course, after getting injured from falling down some stairs. I got bored just sitting on the couch, so I began baking at home. I started making a lot of cupcakes, it got pretty crazy, I was making about 5000 every week.
I started doing some pop-up stores in Point Cook and people would also drive into my street to pick up the cupcakes, sometimes we would have a line of cars waiting. My neighbours, the poor things, came over and said, ‘What are you selling here?’ I gave them some cupcakes and explained. I still give them cupcakes, which they love. They say, ‘You’re the best neighbour’.
After our first cafe came on board – the owner tasted the cupcakes and loved them, so put in an order – I became so busy that my mum quit her job and started working full-time for me. She still works for me and my brother works part-time in accounts. And now my partner is involved full-time as a baker too, which is awesome.
How long have you lived in Point Cook?
My parents built a property here when I was five years old, then we moved to Williamstown for two years, and then moved back. I remember when my parents built the house out here, there was only one other house on the street. I remember it was all paddocks.
What do you like about the area?
I love the community feel, as soon as we opened here there were was such a strong sense of community.
I also love the cafes, pretty much I love all the food out here. There is a good choice here – at the Point Cook town centre, I can have something different for lunch every day.
