Christina Chung finds her calling in making beautiful cakes
Overcoming years of self-doubt, cake maker Christina Chung has tapped into her natural talent to become one of newest professional cake decorators on the local scene.
Although not having any formal artistic background or training, Christina is well on her way to becoming one of Guyana’s sought-after cake gurus. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Christina said she is passionate about creating fun and delicious cakes, which fuels her determination to be successful.
“I just love baking. I have been doing it for many years for my family. My mother loved to bake, which she did for the family only. I learnt from her since I was younger. I also collected recipes and still have my scrapbook with them. When I initially started baking there were many failures and a few successes. My father was very supportive in my formative years of baking. He ate everything and never complained even though it tasted horrible. This boosted my self-confidence. My mother, on the other hand, was a bit critical, but all for good reasons. Her aim was to make me better – and it certainly has,” she recalled.
Already holding a passion for crafting, and with years of researching and collecting recipes and books, Christina developed her talent for baking. She utilised the Internet to the fullest, and looked at instructional YouTube videos and read food blogs.
Despite not being able to receive formal training because of family responsibilities, Christina used very opportunity she got to develop her skills at home. When her daughter Leanna, now 11, was born, Christina decided to be a stay-at-home mother. And when her son, Lucas, now 4, came along, her dream of starting a cake business became even dimmer. Now that she is more equipped to juggle family duties, Christina decided it was time to follow her dreams.
Impressed by her talent, Christina’s family and friends encouraged her to showcase her work. Knowing the magnitude of exposure on social network Facebook, Christina decided to post a few pictures of the cakes she did for her children’s birthdays.
To her surprise, her years of experience in baking and research seemed to have paid off with the overwhelming feedback and numerous requests for cakes. This motivated Christina and built her confidence, which prompted her to open her now one-month-old business, ‘Cakes by Christy’. Now she has her own line of original recipes, very popular with her clientele.
“My first big event was Mother’s Day. I received many orders, and although it was a challenge, I was successful. Being able to fulfil orders and seeing the satisfaction on my clients’ faces have really showed me that being determined to do something you love will always be successful. I even had people picking up orders at noon on Mother’s Day itself. But I reserved the other half day to spend with my family. I couldn’t sacrifice my family time, which is always a priority to me. My husband, Andrew, has also been my biggest support. He was my helper and dishwasher on Mother’s Day, and I’m eternally grateful to him,” she acknowledged.
The cake expert noted that her inspiration comes from her family and friends because without their prodding she would have never taken the step to follow her dreams. Even before starting ‘Cakes by Christy’, her children were adamant that she made the cakes instead of buying them and that made Christina feel special.
“Although now I have to juggle family responsibilities and work, I’m determined to keep expanding my business. It’s not just about earning an income; it’s about being happy with what I do. It’s very soothing and calming when I’m baking, and I really don’t see myself giving it up unless it significantly infringes on my time with my children. But my family tells me how proud they are of me and supports me all the way. My children understand that this makes me happy and they encourage me. My daughter even comes up with design ideas that are very creative, and told me she wants to follow in my footsteps. I have also decided to start this business because I want my daughter to know the importance of independence and how empowering it is for women,” she noted.
