Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Cooper.
Hi Bailey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started out making dairy-free desserts for my mom during the holidays so that she could enjoy something without fear of it making her sick. Word got out to our neighbors and soon I was asked to make gluten-free and vegan things as well. I was in school to become a psychiatrist at the time, however, I found that the more unhappy I was in that career path the more I found myself in the kitchen baking away. My family brought it to my attention that I could pursue a career as a pastry chef, and walk away from psychiatry.
I never really thought of it as an option before that, but I ended up switching gears and working for an ice cream company. There I created everything that went into the ice cream from brownies to jams to cakes. I was there for about a year before the pandemic hit, and it was during lockdown that I decided to pursue my own bakery. It was a scary process, but with the neverending support from neighbors and family, I was able to open my online shop and begin working in farmer’s markets. I fell in love with baking even more because I could meet the people who ate my food and loved it. Seeing people smile as they talk about finding a dessert they can finally eat makes my day, and makes everything I do worth it.
Now, I am moving to Knoxville to chase my dream of owning a farm-to-table bakery, specializing in allergy-friendly desserts, using organic practices and ingredients to create each treat. I believe food can bring people together to share love and joy with those around us. Whether it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan, we all deserve to celebrate the little things in life. One cupcake at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No road is ever going to be smooth when chasing a dream. It took a pandemic for me to get enough confidence in myself to give it a chance. Every day comes with a new challenge. I’ve had to learn accounting, photography, marketing, and so much more. And I’m still no expert in any of it.
Yet, I try to see each roadblock as a stepping stone to my dream. If I can learn all these new skills, that’ll bring me one step closer to opening my shop and having a storefront where people can come, relax, enjoy baked goods and coffee and enjoy the environment.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create allergy-friendly desserts that range from items you’d find in a coffee shop to wedding day eats. I specialize in dairy and gluten-free products with vegan options throughout the year. I am best known for my macarons and muffins, oftentimes I’ll have regulars get weekly batches of both items as I switch up flavors to keep up with the seasons.
The items I am most proud of are most likely my macarons and my cakes. These are items that have taken me a long time to perfect recipes and I love to challenge myself artistically with them whenever I get the chance. What I believe sets me apart from others is my organic practices in baking, I try to use ingredients that could be grown in my gardens or could be sourced by local farmers. So they are as fresh as can be and each dessert isn’t just a sugar overload.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I enjoy reading a lot of gardening books. When it comes to growing a lot of my own ingredients I am always trying to learn the best ways to grow them. There are also quite a few books I found from past years at the culinary institute in my hometown. While I am self-taught it never hurts to have textbooks around. The rest of my reading and listening material is for relaxation after a long work week.
Pricing:
- Macarons – $2.00 each (bundle offers available)
- Cakes – $35 + (depends on size and detail)
- Scones/Muffins – $2.50 each (wholesale options available)
- Donuts – $3.00 (bundle offers available)
Contact Info:
- Email: treatsandchill2020@gmail.com
- Website: www.treatsandchill.online/
- Instagram: @treats.and.chill
- Facebook: @treatsandchill2020
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCMbXOE046-qHcvzpXPFcLWQ
Image Credits
Bailey Cooper and Ginell Cooper
