Nancy Souksavath

Connect What's your favorite thing to bake?

My two favorite things to bake are Japanese souffle cheesecake and pâte a choux—not too sweet, and a perfect blank canvas for flavor! I’m constantly pushing my boundaries as a baker and chef, but my go-to inspiration has always been Asian fruits. I love the challenge of recreating childhood memories of American and Asian fruit combinations, which inspires me to create unique treats that aren’t too mainstream while celebrating the vibrant flavors of my culture.

How long have you been baking?

I’ve been baking in the kitchen with my mom since 8, but I didn’t launch my online bakery until 2022. Following a serious accident, along with the loss of my mom and brother, I had various health issues that made it difficult to hold a normal job. Baking helped me cope with my grief and trauma, eventually providing me with a flexible home-based business that brought me joy and allowed me to feel like myself again.

What would you do with the $20,000?

To start, I would pay off some small business debt. I would also invest in some much-needed equipment, like a dough sheeter, countertop chocolate melting machine, commercial fridge and freezer, package branding, and some culinary classes to enhance my skill set. Whatever’s left would go into savings for a down payment towards our very first Sweet Rice Flour food truck.