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CAKES BY CENTINA BAKED AND SERVED FRESH!

By FNH Team Images by Centina Fernandes

Centina Fernandes left her corporate job to pursue her passion for baking cake. She developed this passion for baking right from a young age when she was in her 4th grade of school but it took her some time to realize that this is where she belongs. The story behind entering the field of baking is also as much interesting as her journey. Here are the excerpts from her interview.

Please tell us about your background and how you entered the field of culinary. Like many, I was lost in the corporate world, and one day on my way back from work, I bought some cake for my niece but soon realized that it wasn 't as fresh as it should have been, and I felt guilty about feeding her stale products, that' s where the baker in me started baking cookies & cakes again only to please the sweet tooth of my niece. Have you done any formal education in the field of Culinary? I started baking in the 4th grade & I actually sold my first cake to teacher Alzira in St. Marys school when I was in the 5th grade Post that I did a few courses with local bakers, and in covid times i was blessed to work with a Pastry Chef in my own kitchen, a chef who worked in hotels like the Taj, double tree by Hilton, and a few rated hotels outside India. What was the reason you choose to bake the cake? Just like any other cuisine, the cake is a food item too & I strongly believe it should be baked and served fresh! That was my main reason to start baking again in 2016!

What are the hurdles you faced while perusing your dreams and how did you overcome them? Mainly the deliveries & resources were the major hurdles faced but I overcome them by taking one challenge at a time and this became a constant practice. We ' ve had unsatisfied customers in the past due to cakes not reaching safely, that' s when I started baking and delivering myself, I am humbled to add I have the deepest gratitude to my parents for helping with deliveries across Goa. What are the USPs of your cuisine and how do you deal with the competition? My main USP is we always bake fresh, it' s also what sets us apart from our competitors, if you want a cake within 3 hours customized to your needs in terms of taste & look, look no further than #CakesByCentina. Also, we bake inhouse, but we deliver across Goa, from Sawantwadi right upto Canacona. Tell us more about the types of cakes that you bake and your specialty Wedding cakes, customized cakes, Bachelorette cakes, sugar-free & vegan cakes, donuts, eclairs, quiche & cookies. Our specialty is our donuts and customized cakes & our bestseller is our Eggless Sugarfree Carrot Cake & our customized cakes include and are not limited to cakes with alcohol in them. What is the weirdest food she has ever tried? Ages ago... it was an unfortunate night when I went for dinner with my family and a cooked frog was placed on my plate, with its limbs intact, i first had a bite, n then looked at it & well, I leaped away from that table like a frog myself

If not a Chef, what else would have been her calling? After 5years, thinking of anything else now is not really possible, but im a go-getter, so given an opportunity to do something different i probably would give it a go, without leaving baking though! Tell us about your top 5 favourite dishes I love paneer, and though I am a Goan, im a Punjabi foodie by heart... Tell us 5 kitchen tools she cannot live without. Measuring tools, the stand mixer, the whisk, the oven, and most importantly my mom who helps me keep the kitchen clean (baking is easy, cleaning is not!) Any msg that you want to give ? Always follow your dreams, keep upgrading and believing in yourself and stay consistent. I also believe that The Way Ahead is Not Through Competition but Collaboration