Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhonda Jones.
Hi Rhonda, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2004, I went on a cruise and brought back a lot of rum, so I decided to bake a rum cake. A family friend in Philadelphia, whom I called Grandma Hagans, always baked rum cake for me. My Mom baked every chance, and I stayed in the kitchen watching her and using my EZ Bake Oven. Friends & family suggested I start a business because they loved the cake. I officially started the business in 2005 as a hobby. I named my business Chez Moi my place/home because I grew up learning French words from my Dad since I was 2, lived in France my junior year of high school as an exchange student, and my business is out of my home. From 2005-2012, I primarily baked only during the holidays. In March 2013, I finally decided to take the business seriously and launched a dessert food truck. This was all while working full-time and baking for a local coffee shop weekly. I resigned from my corporate job in June 2015 to work the business full-time. I knew I was supposed to leave my job almost a year and a half before I resigned and finally took that leap of faith. My only regret is not doing this sooner! I still enjoy this entrepreneurial life and am extremely thankful for the continued vision.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The beginning of the pandemic was my biggest challenge. Within two weeks, all of my weekly shifts and special events were canceled. Instead of finding new places to set up, I offered home delivery. It worked so well that I decided not to return to food trucking. It organically shifted me from selling by the slice to only whole cakes. During this time, I created retail packaging for my lemon curd & lime curd and launched them in specialty food stores in my area. I’ve always loved photography and started practicing macro photography in February 2020 for fun. By the summer, I started a small line of greeting cards, now sold in 6 stores. I still ship nationwide and provide products to local retailers, coffee shops, and restaurants. I found a way to pivot!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Chez Moi Bakery?
I’m a self-taught baker who grew up baking with her mom. After baking the first rum cake following a cruise, I officially started the business as a hobby in 2005 and added a dessert food truck in 2013. Depending upon where you live, it can be hard to locate a made-from-scratch rum cake and a rum cake that is all about the flavor. I ship nationwide to help with this! Most alcohol content burns off during baking, so my rum cake isn’t as strong as some. A rum soak is applied once it comes out of the oven as well. It’s more about the flavor from the rum vs. the alcohol content of the cake. My signature cake is Brown Sugar Vanilla Rum Cake. I offer 6 rum cake flavors with the signature as an ice cream cake made with local ice cream. There’s even a Black Cherry Bourbon Cake. I also offer lemon curd and lime curd made with just 4 ingredients and no additives/preservatives. I primarily sell these unique items and suggest things like lemon and carrot cake.
What do you think about happiness?
Oh, so many things! Being creative – to bring something to life is exhilarating. Exploring a new city – I love experiencing a place’s culture, food, etc., and spending time with my family – there’s nothing like reminiscing and hearing stories from past generations. This question reminds me of my dad, who was also an entrepreneur. He wrote a poem about loving the simple things in life. Happiness is everywhere if you choose to feel it!
“The Simpleness in me”
I love the simple things in life
I’m easy to impress
The beauty of the birds and bees
A bluebird on her nest
I love to hear a robin sing
I love to watch a poodle
I love to see a little child
Eating apple strudel
I like to smell Magnolia blooms
I’m fond of Dogwood trees
I love the clean, fresh scent of pine
I cherish Cypress’s knees
I like to play with doodle bugs
Or walk through city parks
Or listen to the mournful sound
The way a hound dog barks
I like to watch schoolchildren play
I love to see them smile
To watch them swinging on a swing
I’d walk a country mile
I love to see a little boy
With ice cream on his face
I like to see a fresh bouquet
In a simple flower vase
I like to eat fried apples
Or sweet potato pie
I prefer catfish to caviar
Though you may wonder why
I love the taste of Scuppernong
May-pops and peanut brittle
Though many of these simple things
Add inches to my middle
I like to sample pickles
Made with watermelon rind
Or the taste of fresh tomatoes
When just taken from the vine
I like to walk the Sand Dunes
On North Carolina’s Outer Banks
I even like the rustic charm
Of unpainted boardwalk planks
I love to visit Yellowstone
Or spend a day at Natural Bridge
Or see deep, green snow covered pine
On top of old Blue Ridge
I love the cricket’s simple tune
The croaking sound of frogs
I even like the grunting sound
At feeding time for hogs
I love everything ‘bout Springtime
The smell of fresh cut grass
The tadpoles splashing in a ditch
Fragrance of Sassafras
You could say these simple things
Are simple as can be
But maybe now you’ll understand
The Simpleness in Me
- By: Lorenzo Jones
Winton, North Carolina
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ILoveRumCake.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezmoibakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChezMoiBakery/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chezmoibakery
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-moi-bakery-durham?osq=chez+moi+bakery
