We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Diaz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.
Melissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
Over the three years that I baked for the Salt Lake community, my favorite clients were newly engaged humans. To be trusted with creating customs desserts for their wedding was both an honor and wonderful challenge. The look on their faces when I showed up with their order always brought a smile to my face.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
In 2019 I moved to Salt Lake City with my partner. I work in the brewing industry and had some experience with baking in the past. I apprenticed with a bakeshop in Austin, TX for a few years.
The goal was to partner with local breweries, distilleries and bars to create one of kind alcohol infused cupcakes! I took home a can of Baltic porter beer and baked double chocolate porter cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting. My first batch for the good humans of Salt Lake.
I handed them out during my shift at no cost. I wanted to gage the pallet and see if this would be well received in the very religious Valley. It was a hit!
Word got out that a boozy baker was in town and I was introduced to another local brewery owner. Chad Hopkins hired me for their anniversary party and I had the opportunity to bake once again!
That was such a success that I sat down with the owner and he offered his kitchen space for my commercial use. I started baking for them weekly and added a few more breweries to my schedule. Then, the pandemic hit. Bars, breweries, distilleries, closed.
With no solid work shifts I had to get creative with how I would pay the bills. Shades brewing was planning on releasing a new beer every week for to-go sales. All the taprooms were closed but breweries were able to do curb side beer to-go sales.
I reached out ti Alex the owner and asked if she would be ok with me doing pop up bake sales right next to their tents and pair a new cupcake on a weekly basis. She said YES!
For the next two months I had a home, a place where I could sell cupcakes weekly. I sold out the first day in 30 minutes! I doubled the amount the following week, sold out in an hour!
I sold out every week, every week I added more. I was able to pay my bills and save a little bit of money. What a wonderful feeling, to be able to create something that brings joy to humans and be able to afford my bills.
The taprooms opened back up and I was the menu at 8 different breweries. It was amazing! Through those accounts I started to get invited to festivals and got bigger orders for birthday parties and weddings.
I decided to quit my bartending job in May of 2022. I was a full time baker! Look at me mom!
I continued to bake for my accounts, festivals and the big show. Grid City Beer works created a two weekend music festival and I was invited to be a food vendor. How cool?! It was both stressful and rewarding! I recruited some friends to help with decorating and packaging and they also helped set up my booth. I was right next to David Jimenez the voice behind the Tastemasters podcast. David always made sure to include me in any event he was a part of. A great friend and wonderful influence on many in the Salt Lake fermentation community!
I gave myself a much needed vacation in September, a 10 day road trip that took me to Lake Tahoe and San Jose to see my family. I rode my bike on beautiful trails and enjoyed the rest. Upon returning to Salt Lake I decided to round out the miles logged. I hit 56 miles total on my trip and wanted to get past 60. Riding the back roads in Salt Lake there are a lot of out of commission train tracks. My front tire got sucked into a track, locked up my bike and threw me off. I broke my arm. A baker needs their arm. I was upset with myself for not being more careful but it was in fact a freak accident. No health insurance so I was taken in and had surgery the next day. I’m still in medical debt and I’ll be working with a company to try and get my debt down to a payable amount.
I had a wedding order on the books in November! I had surgery on October 1st, the wedding was in November 3rd. I couldn’t see myself canceling their order. They booked me earlier that summer and I wanted to bake for them. I was trusted with their wedding. I was determined to heal as fast as possible!
I stopped drinking alcohol so my body could repair itself and not have to repair the damage that alcohol causes the body. The doctor cleared me for work right before the wedding! Said he had never seen anyone heal this fast. Asked if I was an alien. I said, “no sir, just a determined human.”
I had two friends help me the day of and we nailed it! 300 mini cupcakes and a small 8 inch cake for the beautiful couple. The feeling of accomplishment that rushed through my body when I got the order delivered? Magic. Pure magic.
I continued to bake for a limited amount of breweries. Inflation strikes, ingredients became so expensive and I would have to raise my prices to an amount I wasn’t comfortable with charging. I was invited to bake for Wasatch brewing, a pairing for a collaboration festival with the Tastemasters. This would be last event in Salt Lake before packing up and moving to CO to work for a brewery full time.
I’m enjoyed my time in the Salt Lake Valley and still find joy at looking back at that journey. Thank you for allowing me to tell my story. Cheers!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Being able to create a business out of necessity and watch it grow was beautiful. Breaking my arm and healing fast enough to bake for a wedding was a great accomplishment for me.
Have you ever had to pivot?
When inflation hit and ingredients became too expensive I decided to close up shop and head back to the brewery world.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
SLUG magazine for the photo of me. I took pictures of the cupcakes.