This week, we had a chat with Bakertells founder, Sajidah Sabry, who has been passionate about food and pastry since a very young age. She is inspired by MasterChef Australia. Sajidah believes that food and memories share a very deep connection, as they utilise the human senses. Hence, her main focus with Bakertells is to capture that memory or story through food. 

Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to become a baker.

Hello there. I am a 20-year-old food lover and an avid reader who has always been intrigued by the concept of storytelling through food. Reading is my hobby and cooking is my passion. Inspired by the concept of storytelling, Bakertells was born, and it is where hobby meets passion. My journey to becoming a pastry chef started off at the very tender age of eight. It all started when I sat in front of the television switching channels and stumbled upon MasterChef Australia, which to this date I follow passionately. This show sparked the love for food in me. Seeing individuals from various different backgrounds creating food and showcasing their talent inspired me to build my career in food. MasterChef gave me the ability to dream that I too can transform my life through food.

Do you have any professional qualifications related to baking? 

Yes, I do.

I graduated with a diploma in baking from Prima Baking Training Centre, and I’m a gold medallist in cake decorating, awarded by Prima Ceylon. I also completed a diploma in international cookery and basics of pastry at Shamilas’ Cookery Academy. Soon after my education, I decided to gain experience at a well-reputed bakery in Colombo.

Earlier this year, I also decided to challenge myself by taking part in the Culinary Art Food Expo organised by the Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka. This is a competition where chefs within the whole island participate representing their star-class hotels. It was a wonderful experience – meeting people working towards similar dreams.

• How do you incorporate storytelling into your conceptual cooking approach?

Everyone has a story, a fond story that lingers in his or her mind. Associated with the story is something that’s compelling. For example, a character from a book, cartoon, anime, or even a pet. 

Food and memories share a very deep connection as they utilise the human senses. When the senses of sight, taste, smell, sound, and touch are combined while eating, the memory becomes more vivid. It takes you back to a cherished memory or reminds you of a story you’ve read or are following, and that feeling is really special. And that’s when the dish becomes a part of that memory as well. In order to do so, I request my clients to send in a picture of a cherished memory, TV show, or book of the person they are celebrating and recreate them onto the food.

• Can you share a memorable experience where a customer’s nostalgia was deeply touched by your creations?

I have had many endearing requests sent in by my clients, one of them includes a canvas painting sent in by the client, which I recreated on a cake – the lights from the movie ‘Tangled’. The client was so happy with the outcome that she went to the extent of sending us a picture of her with two pieces of art, one her painting, and two the cake I designed.

Another client expressed their thoughts as such, “Seriously, it is so d**n good, I might cry, you really are the best to do the job.’’

I have also had clients who got creative with the high tea platter we offer and had a balcony date, setting up the mood for another story/memory to unfold.

• How do you balance creativity and tradition in your baking process?

One of my main goals with Bakertells was to be creative in breaking the tradition of overly sweet cakes and pastries. This is why I decided to take a turn at creating treats that include fresh fruit components as fillings in the cakes and pastries, in order to balance out the flavours. I also decided to pivot from the traditional frosting of cakes to a very light, fluffy, and creamy frosting which is proved to be not too sweet and will melt in your mouth. Following the theme of balanced sweetness in baked goods, one of the many popular cakes at Bakertells is our vanilla cake filled with chocolate crèmeux, (similar to a chocolate mousse), a balanced alternative to a chocolate cake, not overly chocolatey, perfectly balanced. 

Another objective of Bakertells is to keep the cakes I create, handmade, personal, and 100% buttercream-based. I have always loved the idea of designs being recreated on cakes using buttercream as the sole medium. Not only does it taste great, but it also acts as a successful barrier in controlling the flavours and sweetness of the cakes.

• Can you tell us about a unique ingredient or flavour combination that you’ve discovered and incorporated into your baking?

I have always been intrigued by the flavours local fruits bring. I believe that local fruits are not highlighted enough for the unique flavour profile they possess, which is why I decided to use them in my food. One of the local fruits I use is narang, which is made into a compote and used as a filling in my cakes. This rare sour Lankan fruit, which possesses a pleasant smell, acts as a great flavour combination to the cakes. This flavour not only tastes good but also allows one to relive their memory of sipping a cup of narang juice as a kid – nostalgia created by flavour.

• What’s your take on the importance of presentation and aesthetics?

While taste is important, food presented well is vital to attract the eye of the people, especially in the attempt to enhance or create the right ambience to convey stories through food. The aspect of creating a theatrical experience through food is key at Bakertells, for I believe that it is the smallest of details that make it easier to convey the story. 

• What are some of Bakertell’s goals for the upcoming year?

Many exciting projects are underway for Bakertells.

Creating the right ambience so that the tastes and moods meet in order to give a memorable experience to the patrons is one of the major goals we have.

I am also going to introduce more flavour combinations and unique sweet treats that I have been working on to serve our clients better.

• What is one of your golden pieces of advice to aspiring bakers out there?

I would like to convey that, if you have a passion for pastry or food, you need to have the willingness to learn and be open to challenges – the ups and downs and everything that comes with it. You need to be quick, not only physically but mentally as well, for you need to come up with solutions on the spot. And what makes you a great chef/baker is your willingness to learn and teach yourself the skills required. As Marco Pierre White said, “You can’t teach anyone how to cook. All you can do is show them. It is up to them whether they want to teach themselves. Cooking is not a recipe. It is a philosophy, unless it’s pastry, and then it is chemistry. People who cook well, they are the ones who teach themselves because they question everything. A recipe is a guideline.”

PHOTOS © SAJIDHA SABRY, TASHMA STUDIO