When you have a dream, don’t be afraid to pursue it; The sensational Savoury’s Sweets

BY MEGAN ROBERTS

Have you ever met someone who just radiates positivity and inspires you to chase your dreams? That’s exactly how I felt when I met Christine, the owner of Savoury’s Sweets

Our friendship began while at Centennial College. I needed a few sheets of parchment paper, so I timidly approached the bakers’ section of the kitchen, knowing full well how particular bakers can be about their workspace. I raised my white flag in the form of a greeting and said “Hi my baking friends,” to let them know I come in peace. That is where everything started.

Christine’s passion for baking began with her grandparents. Her grandfather was a pastry chef at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, but it was her grandmother, Odessa, who was the active baker at home. She would be excited to take the four-hour long trips with her dad to visit knowing that she would always be greeted with traditional Bajan cuisine and her favourite treats freshly baked by her grandmother. She remembers seeing her grandfather grating coconut and cassava into a big silver bowl in preparation for pastries, but one of her fondest food memories is that of Odessa’s cinnamon rolls. “It didn’t matter what day you dropped in on Grandma, there was bread, there were cinnamon rolls, cassava, there was something,” Christine recalls with emotion.

After graduating from the baking program, she started her business, Savoury’s Sweets. Starting a business is no easy feat, especially when you’re putting yourself out there so I asked her why she chose this path. “Well, it’s the fact that I have $15,000 in student debt,” she responded while laughing. “I am qualified for baking. I’m a graduate of Baking and Pastry Arts Management. I could manage a bakery, but I learned that wasn’t for me. I wanted to be self-reliant”

She continued to say that it was important for her to set an example for her children. “I want to create experiences for them. I want to create inspiration for them. I don’t want them to see that just because it got hard, or it was slow that it means that you give up or stop. I want them to see that I continue pushing despite any obstacles”

Since the start of Savoury’s Sweets, Christine has been making herself known at various popups around the city. Her most recent event was located in Kensington Market where she had the absolute pleasure of purchasing the infamous Dessa Roll, a most decadent cinnamon roll aptly named after her grandmother. “I just want to make people happy with my food,” she stated so humbly “And set an example for my children. I’m just doing the best that I can with what I have and I’ve done too much to give up at this point.”

Christine’s story is a true inspiration for anyone who has a dream and is afraid to pursue it. She took a risk on herself and her passion for baking and it’s paying off. I hope this serves as a reminder that no matter how daunting a task may seem if it’s your calling, nothing can stop you.