baker Archives - Jalya

HUMA JABEEN

Emily Gruz — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 19:58:42 +0000

Salam, my name is Anee. I make Halal custom cakes, cupcakes and cake doughnuts for all occasions. My Facebook page is Anee Artistry and my Instagram account is Anee Asim. I am a self taught baker and I love baking. Baking is my hobby its not work for me, that’s why I make every cake with love. –Huma

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A post shared by Anee Asim (@aneeasim_)

When did you start your business? Was there something/someone who inspired you?

I made my first custom cake for my daughters birthday. I started working properly 5 months ago. I create my own designs and people started loving it.

What are the ups and downs when dealing with the Arab community?

Our Muslim community is very supportive and there is no down sides about this work. If you love baking you will enjoy it in any way.

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A post shared by Anee Asim (@aneeasim_)

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

There is nothing to change, it just happened for me. I never thought about my hobby as my probation so I love the way it is.

What challenges has Covid-19 brought to you and your business and how did you overcome them?

I started selling cake during covid so I think covid give me a chance to show my work to the world. I just started working so there is a lot for me to do as baking is a never ending art.

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DANIA HAYMOUR

Emily Gruz — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 17:50:03 +0000

Dania Haymour was born in Ontario but raised in Brazil. Dania lived in Brazil for 24 years until she married her husband, who was from Edmonton.

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A post shared by Brigadeiro Gourmet Yeg (@brigadeiroyeg)

When did you start your business? Was there something/someone who inspired you?

I started my business in 2018 and continued until the end of 2019, when I decided to take a break after my husband and I got the news we were expecting our first child. Now just over a year later, I am back with new ideas, new ingredients and new recipes for all you sweet tooths. I always enjoyed making sweets and coming up with new ideas but what really inspired me was how much I missed the Brazilian sweets I grew up with. And that sparked Brigadeiro YEG.

Would you say you reached all of your goals since you started or do you have more to achieve?

I have not reached my goals, because once you achieve one goal the next goal is ready to go.

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A post shared by Brigadeiro Gourmet Yeg (@brigadeiroyeg)

What are the ups and downs when dealing with the Arab community?

We have such a huge community and word spreads like wildfire but most of all the love and support from everyone puts a smile on my face. The amount of time it takes to prepare an order added with the cost of the ingredients I use is what sets my prices. Sometimes everybody forgets that but it’s all communities.

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

I would not change anything. Only successes and lessons.

What challenges has Covid-19 brought to you and your business and how did you overcome them?

Covid has been really tough for everyone especially the small businesses. For me it’s been tough because of the time it takes to get ingredients and products delivered has doubled or tripled. But hamdillah, we’re just thankful for what we can do in these times and wish nothing but the best for everyone.

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SAMAH ASSAF

Emily Gruz — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:55:33 +0000

Samah Assaf was born in Edmonton in 1980 and moved to Lebanon with her family when she was six years old. She moved back to Edmonton in 2000 and got married to Mahmoud Amerey in 2001. They have four lovely children, Eman, Awid, Leila and Yasmeen. She went to NAIT and received her Diploma in Banking and Business and after graduating from NAIT, she worked for ATB for just over a year. She was and has been a housewife since her first born child. Samah always dreamt of being a Baker from when she was a child growing up in Lebanon. She loved when her parents took her to a bakery and this is where her curiosity and passion for baking arose. She always dreamt of making all those desserts and loved the aroma of those bakeries. Now she enjoys those smells in her very own kitchen every time she bakes for people. Her passion is baking and she began her home based business, “Heavenly Sweets By Samah” in 2017. You can check out her Facebook Heavenly Sweets by Samah | Facebook and Instagram Samah Assaf (@heavenly_sweets_by_samah) • Instagram photos and videos pages where she displays her lovely desserts.

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A post shared by Samah Assaf (@heavenly_sweets_by_samah)

When did you start your business? Was there something/someone who inspired you?

I started my business in 2017, when friends and family kept complimenting me on my sweets and saying that I should go into business selling them. They would say, “everyone loves them.” I was inspired by my mom. She would come home after visiting someone and tell us about the amazing desserts they served. I would always ask if she got the recipe from them and she always did. She would then bake us the same desserts. My mom was very passionate about baking and this is where I get my passion for baking from.

Would you say you reached all of your goals since you started or do you have more to achieve?

I have met most of my goals since beginning this business but I still have much more to accomplish. The first couple of years were tough as I did not make any money but my business began to pick up in 2019. One major goal I would like to achieve is to publish my own dessert book with all of my recipes so I can share them with others.

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A post shared by Samah Assaf (@heavenly_sweets_by_samah)

What are the ups and downs when dealing with the Arab community?

I love our community and for the most part, they are very supportive and appreciative of each other. I love the support they give me and I always try and support our community as well. Our community is a very close knit community and the word of mouth advertising they give me has helped my business become successful and I am very grateful for this.

What would you change if you had to do it all over again?

I would have taken a course in decorating cakes as this is one of my most difficult challenges.

What challenges has Covid-19 brought to you and your business and how did you overcome them?

Covid-19 was difficult for all of us as the whole world was shut down. Business came to a complete halt for a few months but Eid Al-Fitr turned things around and the orders started rolling in. People can’t live without food and great dessert, especially in times like this and during times of celebration. In tough times, I know I can always depend on my faith and my community. When I say community, I don’t just mean the Arab and Muslim community but I mean our Canadian community. Half of my customers are non-Arab and they love celebrating their holidays with my desserts as well. I am truly grateful to all of my wonderful customers.

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A post shared by Samah Assaf (@heavenly_sweets_by_samah)

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FATIMA HAWA

Emily Gruz — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:10:25 +0000

Fatima makes chocolate covered strawberries and other sweet treats! She loves working with chocolate, and is constantly trying to experiment with new ideas.

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A post shared by Dipped 🍓✨ (@dipped_yeg)

What made you want to start your business?

I’ve always loved art and creating things, and my day job is far from that. I work as a respiratory therapist in adult ICU, so I have many days where I come home and need to decompress. This was the perfect outlet for me. The business side of it was secondary as more people discovered my work and wanted me to make it for them. I’m still driven by the art of it, more than anything. My best friends and my sister really pushed me to start my page. I still have the sketches we made about the name and flavour/theme ideas. It’s such a cool thing to look back on, and I’m so grateful to have them cheer me on the way they do.

What was the toughest obstacle to overcome in the process of creating your business?

I don’t think I have an “obstacle,” per say. Alhamdulillah. I started creating and the business aspect kind of flowed out of that. I think I’m very lucky to have a knack for it. The hardest part of all of this, business or not, is self doubt. Imposter syndrome is real, and it constantly has me questioning if I’m good enough. I get butterflies whenever someone orders anything new, nervous if they’re going to like it or not. On the plus side, it pushes me to be better and one up myself every time.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?

I get my inspiration from everything around me. Nature, music, paintings. I try to bring things to life and evoke emotions. There is a famous baker named Adrianno Zumbo, who constantly talks about the “theater” of food and I think about that a lot whenever I make something. It’s amazing how food can tell a story and it can even be part of your story; it’s how people connect. I love when people look at what I make and gasp or laugh, it’s the best feeling. It’s crazy how the simple manipulation of food can bring such joy and happiness. I live for that.

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