We recently connected with Sumayyah Bilal and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sumayyah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents are an integral part of my journey as a person, woman, Muslim, creative, entrepreneur, and chef. Ever since I was very small, both of my parents encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. I credit them for my curious approach to my endeavors. They were great at identifying the things I was naturally drawn to, and positioning me in activities or circles that would would foster that interest.
One really impactful example of this is when I was about 9 years old and had shown a keen interest in cooking and baking. Starting around age 8 I developed a habit of reading my mom’s cookbooks (and I’m talking Good Housekeeping and Joy of Cooking, with no pictures, so you know I was into it), and I remember being in the kitchen with her a lot. My brother and I were latchkey kids and we were too little to use the oven and stove by ourselves when mom wasn’t home. She eventually got us these microwave cookbooks that had TONS of recipes (and pictures!!!), so I would flip through and find some dishes that I thought would be tasty. I vividly remember the seed that sparked my joy of feeding people emerging from this cookbook. My older siblings were in town to visit for Mother’s Day or mom’s birthday or something, and to celebrate I made a cheesecake, with a pie crust, in the microwave…and everyone LOVED it! Right then and there I fell in love with the feeling of making something from scratch and serving it to people, and seeing their faces light up after that first bite. And now I get to do that for a living.
Another pivotal experience in my life was when I was 14 and my dad set me up to do a service for 50 with one of his friends, Fareed Numan, who was a chef. I remember him giving me a recipe for dinner rolls and asking me to make them while he prepped other things. I made a mistake and put too much powdered milk into the rolls, and instead of scolding me or having me start over, he tasted them and said something to the effect of “You know, these taste better than they usually do!” That experience taught me that mistakes aren’t necessarily the end of the world. Brother Fareed also showed me how to make almond milk by soaking almonds and blending them with water, then straining and flavoring the liquid. I never would’ve imagined MAKING almond milk from scratch – but by doing so, we had a lot more control over the sweetness and flavor of the final product. These two experiences with Brother Fareed really formed the foundation for what has become my philosophy as a culinary creative: 1) Sometimes the best ideas and products are borne out of mistakes, so we shouldn’t always shy away from them; and 2) If it’s worth consuming, then it’s worth knowing how to make yourself.
If my parents had failed to recognize and actively encourage my interest in cooking – if my mom never made cooking accessible to me as a kid and given me courage, confidence, and autonomy in the kitchen, or my dad had never connected me with Brother Fareed to learn what would become the driving principles behind my professional philosophies – I’m 1,000% certain I wouldn’t be the chef I am today. These are just two of countless examples where my parents supported my interests as I was growing, and I’m eternally grateful to them for their unwavering support in all of my endeavors.
Sumayyah, 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?
Codetta Bake Shop is a combination of two of my life’s greatest passions, music and food. The name is a nod to my roots as a classically trained musician and educator – Codetta is actually a musical term for a tag ending on a selection of music, so the idea is that we give you something sweet to finish your meal. We started as a desserts brand but have since expanded into breakfast, lunch, and dinner catering (which was always the plan). Our commitment to high-quality ingredients and intentionality in our cooking is what makes us stand out from the crowd. We’re constantly growing and pushing the limits of our creativity, both in the kitchen and beyond!
Most recently we’ve launched our cultural programming and community events arm of the business, Codetta Presents. This was a natural evolution of the programming we’ve already been doing in the community for years, including hosting various festivals, musical performances, pop ups for other local businesses, and even our very own jam session. I’m most proud of the fact that whether it’s testing a new recipe or collaborating with a local nonprofit organization, everything that bears the Codetta name is in alignment with my personal morals and principles. I can honestly say that I feel like the work and love and care and time that my parents, family, and community have poured into me are coming back to them tenfold through the work that I do.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Our social media presence is very closely linked to my personal identity! I share with other current or aspiring entrepreneurs all the time, “People don’t invest in products or services, they invest in PEOPLE.” This has been the guiding principle behind my digital presence. Just as I feel like my foods are a bit of my soul on a plate, my digital presence is inextricably linked to who I am as a person. My vibe has become Codetta’s vibe, and people interact with me and my social pages as if they’re talking to a close friend. I really love that! It makes me feel like the architect of the kind of community where I want to belong.
I let out a lot of my foolish side on social media. You might see me dancing in a turkey suit around Thanksgiving, or posting a clip of my standup routine. My advice for anyone just starting to build their social media presence is to be yourself! People can tell when you’re being authentic, and you will find your tribe of supporters who align with exactly who you are. Don’t try too hard, do what feels natural and everything will fall into place with time and consistent effort.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
I try to be everywhere my target audience might be. These days, that looks a lot like showing up to in-person events like festivals, art installations, concerts, and other happenings around Baltimore City. I often hear people say, “Girl, you are EVERYwhere!” and that’s just where I like to be. I’ve learned that the more I show up in places that I want to be, the more people will see that I am in person exactly who I seem to be on social media. We also participate in and donate to a lot of community/non-profit events. I do my best to partner with organizations that are aligned with my morals and principles, so that when people see us in spaces, they can associate our brand presence with causes and organizations that really matter to them, and to me. And, of course, we have an amazing product that people can’t wait to come back to have again. That does wonders for brand loyalty!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.CodettaBakeShop.com
- Instagram: @CodettaBakeShop
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/CodettaBakeShop
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumayyahbilal/
- Yelp: http://yelp.com/biz/codetta-bake-shop-baltimore
- Other: @CodettaPresents for our events page
