About the founder
Hi! I'm Maliha, the creator of Pastel Bakes. I wanted to share my story so you know how I became so passionate about serving Toronto and the GTA with custom, Instagram-worthy cakes, desserts and cupcakes with options for my Halal, vegan and gluten free friends!
Back in 2018 I quit my job in the field of mental health and went back home (Bangladesh) for my wedding. When I got back to Canada in the start of 2019, I knew I didn’t want to go back to a job in mental health again. I was burnt out and wanted to do something I was more passionate about. Something that made me feel satisfied and complete when I woke up every morning.
My story would be incomplete without mentioning my biggest hurdle which is my mental health. My food and baking journey truly started when I was looking for an escape from my anxiety. For those of you who suffer from any issue that keeps your brain at a constant loop of fears and worries will know how hard it is to distract yourself and actually do something productive. When I fell into this loop worries and constant fear of the unknown, the only thing that muted my thoughts were my cooking adventures. By actively immersing myself into an activity that requires my full attention made me realize that my anxiety was just a part of me and not who I am. Overcoming these everyday struggles made me find my inner calling and I never knew I had, but there is a silver lining to every battle and this was mine.
To this day I still struggle with managing my thoughts, my confidence and always fear others judgement. I knew this would be exponentially more difficult when I am literally wanting to start a company where my work would be critiqued on a continuous basis. But that’s when I thought hard about what my goal is. It isn’t just to start a bakery but it’s about creating a community. It’s about creating a space that is welcoming, safe and brings comfort to anyone that chooses to be a part of it
So, as I mentioned, to keep myself busy during my unemployment I started baking. I taught myself new techniques and recipes to share with my friends and family and it brought me so much joy when they ate my treats. Once I got a hang of the basics, I started challenging myself and realized that I wanted more. At first I contemplated starting something at home, but what excited me more was the thought of having my own bakery cafe.
One of my absolute favorite things to do is going to a café, tap along to the jazz and enjoy some good coffee with a sweet treat. It really makes me feel so warm and cozy no matter what time of the year that I honestly have developed a craving for it. I now have an image in my head of having my own café/bakery, sitting in the corner and watching others create their own memories. It brings me so much joy when I have the ability to make someone else happy with my creations.
My goal is to fight my fears and have a fully functioning bakery by the end of 2021. I want to put my head down and just start a business that is different from what we have available in town and have people want to become a part of our community.
I want to create an environment where some people can just enjoy some of our small treats and offerings and others allow us to be a part of their special occasion with our custom designs.
About the Company
- Team of 5 passionate bakers, cake artists and entrepreneurs
- We all work together equally to bake and design the cake as a team
- Creating unique cake designs without compromising on flavor
- Serving all customers for any occasions
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Working to create a community of sweet treat lovers
COVID Announcement
- We offer delivery and curbside pick
- Sometimes will offer free delivery promotions
- We request customers to do their part in being safe and maintaining distance
- We are willing to offer customizations for small parties and offer deliveries to multiple locations so our customers can celebrate together but in separate homes
- We understand situations are unpredictable and will offer refunds if required (terms to be discussed upon placing order).