We were lucky to catch up with Nikki L May recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nikki L, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
How I came up with my business name as a Pastry Chef? Well, while I was attending my online classes at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, one of my classmates suggested the name Cake Slayer for me. On our student page there was a section where we as culinary students were allowed to post pictures & info about ourselves to share with our classmates. So, once I started sharing a few pictures of my cakes that I had made even before attending my online culinary classes, I received positive feedback about my baking skills. That’s when one classmate suggested the name “Cake Slayer” for me as a cake baker. I went into culinary school knowing what I already knew about baking cakes, but I learned so much more by the end of my class. I was able to improve my cake baking skills as well as become a professional Pastry Chef.
However, even though my business name is “Cake Slayer” I’’m also a pastry chef that can bake a variety of pastries. Such as homemade bread, preserves, buttercream frostings, allergen free pastries such as gluten free/vegan desserts & breads. Just to name a few.
So, the name Cake Slayer stuck with me & I decided to call my business “Cake Slayer”!
Nikki L, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For those that may not already know this about me from the previous reading, I’m a wife, mother of two beautiful daughters, a business owner of Cake Slayer & a vegan Pastry Chef. How I got into this business is first thing first, I continued my education by attending Auguste School of Culinary Arts to become a Pastry Chef.
The types of services I provide are as follows: Private Chef experiences(book me to prepare in house meals: brunch, lunch or dinner), order homemade pastries or breads(Challah Bread, Focaccia Bread, biscuits, macaroons & cakes ect.). I also, provide allergen free items such as gluten free & vegan upon request.
What sets me apart from others is to be able to provide a service that is personal by providing my customers traditional pastries, allergen free & vegan. I’m vegan myself which is why I think it’s important to be able to cater to different types of dietary needs. Vegan & gluten free foods has become more trendy now, so why not be able to provide to both worlds.
What I’m most proud of is taking that leap of faith in investing in myself & striving to become a better baker by educating myself by attending Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Now I can proudly say I’m a graduate with high honors as a Pastry Chef from Escoffier School of Culinary Arts!
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
How I built my audience on social media? I built my audience on social media by consistently posting pictures of my work & making sure I used hashtags for every post! It may seem like hashtags is to no avail but keep posting & using hashtags! Believe me, people are looking! So, don’t get discouraged if you do not receive a lot of likes & comments. Keep posting because it’s not about the quantity it’s about the quality! You’d be surprised who is watching you, so keep posting your work & adding your hashtags. I would often times tag & hashtag Mrs. Tabitha Brown on my Instagram posts when I’d post vegan pastries. So, one day, I remember this day so vividly when I received an email from Mrs.Tabitha Brown encouraging me to, “Keep up the good work & keep sharing the love & light out there.” She also said,“Amazing page”. So, like I’ve already stated keep posting & using hash tags you never know who’s watching you!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
What’s been the best source of new clients for me? I’d say word of mouth. Once a client experiences my baked goods/food they usually tell someone they know. The first impression is always the best impression. However, I always make sure I ask questions before I prepare anything wether it’s a new client or not. I want to know if they have any allergies, if they prefer traditional, vegan or gluten free. I try not to leave any room for errors. Bc, once you learn your clients needs & wants everything else will go smoothly.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: cakeslayerllc
- Facebook: Cake Slayer
- Other: Email: [email protected]