Joanne Tan of The Parvati talks about her faith on home bakers, and then some.

Why the name Parvati?
Parvati is a Hindu goddess of all goddesses. And just like her, we want the store to be a gathering of the best of the best desserts from different home bakers around Metro Manila, and selling it one place—at The Parvati

Of the 51 desserts you’re currently selling, how many of them are your own?
None. Selling my own creations would conflict with the interests of the home bakers since I play a big part in the selection process and marketing. I don't want them to think that I’m here to sell my own stuff.

What does a home baker have to do to sell their baked creations through Parvati?
They can drop by anytime in the store, along with their bestseller, then leave some samples for testing. Then we’ll have our customers assess it.  They would be judged according to taste, appearance, and affordability. After that, we'll inform the home baker about the customer feedback and show them the actual customer comments. 'Pag pasado sa customers, okay na! We can sell their stuff already.

What’s the most valuable career lesson you’ve learned so far?
Patience. In baking, you have to test recipes and end up wasting ingredients along the way. I also learned the importance of customer feedback. That’s why we thought of putting this up, so that home bakers have the chance to sell their baked products through us. 

What is your most challenging baking order to date?
It was for my sister’s wedding.  She asked me to make mini cupcake versions of her wedding cake. The thing is I don’t do cakes—what more wedding cakes? Thankfully, I was able to do it. And most importantly, my cupcakes passed my sister’s standards.

Share one tip for home bakers.
I encourage them to continue baking. They can bring their products here in Parvati, so we can sell them, and to expose their products to the market, and they might just get discovered.
 

What do you bake?
I bake chocolate cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies. I also bake special requests from customers—usually friends and relatives—like cheesecakes and other baked desserts.

What was the first thing you ever baked?
I was 10 years old when I first baked chocolate cupcakes. My mom didn’t know how to bake, so it’s all me.

Did you study baking?
Yes, at Heny Sison Culinary School. I took up Baking & Pastry Series for four months.

Favorite part of the baking process?
The finished product because it’s rewarding. It’s also relaxing.
 
Which three words best describe your baked creations?
Special. Unique. Homemade.
 
What's your favorite ingredient?
Butter.
 
What ingredient would you like to experiment with?
Cocoa nibs. I never tried baking with it—just eating it. It adds crunchiness and an intense chocolate flavor to desserts.

Who’s your baking idol?
Martha Stewart.
 
Favorite baking references?
Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.
 
Aside from baking, what are you passionate about?
Street dancing.
 
After this interview, what will you bake?
I have an order for strawberry cheesecake, so that’s what I’ll bake after this.

The Parvati is located at the Mindanao Lobby, TriNoma, Quezon City.  For orders, call 901-1428, or call or text 0927-878090. Visit the-parvati.com, their Facebook fan page, or email the parvati@gmail.com to know more.

 
Photography by Migs Castro


 

 

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