Gabriela's Childhood

As a globetrotter from a young age, I lived in Valdivia (in the southern part of Chile) for the early part of my life. Learning to bake with my mum and grandmother, I learnt not to be afraid to experiment, mix different flavours together, substitute or even remove certain ingredients.

My grandmother never followed a recipe; she would create something depending on what was available at home at that time. She would then name her different dishes with fancy names, especially when she catered for her family and friends. She focused on using seasonal, fresh ingredients and everything else could be changed or adapted accordingly.

When I lived in Italy, I would stare at the pastry chefs in the cake shops for hours and secretly make notes, trying to take in everything I was learning from a distance (and sometimes I would even quickly take a photograph of what they were creating!).

This passion for cakes encouraged me to do several baking courses and to work at different bakeries throughout the years.

While working in the food industry, I always kept my passion alive on the side. As it became busier, I decided to bake full-time and follow my dream of opening my cafe/patisserie one day! I continue to experiment, taking on traditional flavours and/or cakes and reinventing them with a modern twist. I also love being able to speak to customers, help them come up with a combination of flavours and textures so that they can create their own version of the cake.

I love listening to the story behind a cake, and finding out why my customers choose a particular style. I also love getting a call the day after an event to hear about the day and how my cakes were received. To me, personal connections and the personal touches are one of the most important parts of baking.

Con Amor Gabriela X