Naomi Anderson opens edible art gallery

NAOMI Anderson has always loved baking. She remembers weekends and holidays spent at the home of her aunt, a home economics teacher, making pastries and other dishes with her cousins.

"As a child, the idea that you could make cakes and other pastries from scratch blew my mind. It was like magic, so from a young age, I knew this was what I wanted to do."

The 28-year-old entrepreneur from Morvant spoke with WMN at her recently opened bakery, Unicakery, on Abercromby Street, Port of Spain, on July 18 – her birthday.

With its whimsical pink and white decor, Anderson said Unicakery officially opened on July 10. The two-woman team is made up of herself and former trainee turned assistant Mikel Tappin.

"I remember the first time I saw the Food Network and learned that you could actually pursue a career in food. I was about seven or eight years."

Anderson describes her family as talented in the kitchen and credits her aunts and grandmother for her love of cooking and baking.

"My aunt gave me my first recipe book and baking tools. Some of those baking tools I use today in my business."

She studied at the TT Hospitality and Tourism Institute, where she pursued the culinary arts programme first. But she couldn't escape her love for pastries and cake artistry.

"The idea was always to be well-rounded. However, over time, I decided to specialise in desserts fully and strictly focus on becoming a pastry chef. I also completed the baking and pastry arts programme there."

Her Unicakery journey began at home, providing special-occasion cakes and desserts.

In 2017, she felt her career and business were progressing. At that time, she also had a job at a patisserie, a place she credits with teaching her more techniques and skills she would use to improve her craft.

That same year, she described the response as overwhelming, and she said it became challenging as her job was demanding.

"In November 2017, I took a leap of faith and left my job. I branded my desserts under the name Unicakery, which always seemed like a beautiful and perfect business name for me."

She said the name came to her in a dream and is a hybrid of the words unicorn, cake, and bakery. Anderson always loved unicorns growing up and called it a "unique childhood obsession."

She also loves art and painting, and says her baking is an artistic expression.

"Having my own baking studio/creative space where others can come in and experience the magic is one of my greatest accomplishments."

In 2023, Anderson won the Female Youth Entrepreneur of the Year from the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute.

She describes Unicakery as a "multi-purpose baking studio," saying the term is more suitable.

"Our main offering right now is speciality classes and workshops. We invite people to come and learn and explore what the world of cake artistry and pastry has to offer."

She believes there is a gap in the pastry market and people are unsure where they can get professional training for cake artistry. She says Unicakery is filling that gap.

"We are offering certified cake and pastry courses. We have single-day workshops for those who might just be looking for a fun activity or to spruce up their baking skills."

The classes vary from couples to large groups of about 12 people. She says working with children is the most fun for her.

"We did a girl's birthday party where they came, made their own cake, and decorated it."

She calls Unicakery a personal project centred on chasing her goals, but as she does, she says she has found happiness. She's also always looking for ways to improve her craft.

"I enrol in training programmes and courses that can help me grow my business and craft. My mindset has evolved from viewing Unicakery as just a convenient side hustle to dedicating a lot of time to creating a brand."

Anderson says its unique recipes, are a combination of recipes she learnt in school, found in textbooks and her own experimentation.

Besides unique recipes, she says attention to detail, its therapeutic environment, and interactive workshops that foster community after they end set Unicakery apart from others.

"I started recording my own recipes since I was a teenager and I still use those recipes. That book holds my special secret recipes."

She wants the public to think of Unicakery not as a bakery but as an edible art gallery.

"Unicakery is like my child. I feel like a business mom. You have to care for it, raise it, and dedicate a lot of your time to ensure it grows nice and healthy! I've learned that having a business is no walk in the park."

She says running a business requires a lot of work and dedication that "isn't for the faint of heart."

"I wear many hats. I am the administrative operations manager, baker, and marketer. It has allowed me to learn new skills and techniques that help me be more efficient with my business."

Her advice to future business owners is to take time for themselves and prioritise their health.

"You have to be healthy for your business to be healthy. Schedules self-care days. Bakers and chefs tend to have terrible eating habits, so fix that ASAP!

"Aside from that, if you're just starting up, bake for everyone, whether they ask for it or not. Who refuses cake? Practise your skills, take business courses."

She described customer feedback at first as very challenging but now understands that not everything is for everyone.

"I used to cry whenever I received negative feedback, but now I take note. Even if mishaps happen, every one of them is an opportunity to improve and be better."

Her future plans for Unicakery are to improve the studio space and provide online courses and workshops regionally.