Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Del Rosario.
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I knew that baking and cooking wasn’t just a hobby for me. There was something about it that made me feel like THIS IS WHAT I’M MEANT TO DO. I changed my major three times after graduating high school in 2010 – Journalism, Interior Design, then Culinary Arts. All my friends and family and others would tell me I should go to Culinary School or start a baking business but I didn’t take it seriously until the pandemic. I moved from my hometown, Monterey to San Diego in 2015 to study Interior Design. In January 2020, I started the culinary program at Grossmont College in El Cajon. The pandemic hit, and I felt inspired like many others and starting baking/cooking more. I knew I needed a niche that would help me stand out and focus on my craft. I am a Filipino American woman so this lead me to focusing on Filipino desserts. As I practiced baking and creating my own recipes, I started to dive into my culture and have been learning to embrace my culture much more. It has been such an eye-opening and amazing journey learning more about my ancestors and my culture along with learning more about our food and how it speaks to us and what our food means overall.
Today, I am a Pastry Cook at Animae in Downtown San Diego which the Executive Chef is also a Filipino American woman. We have many dishes inspired by Filipino and Asian cuisine. This job was calling my name. I still bake my own goods and participate in fundraisers to support Filipino businesses, etc. I’m dreaming that within the next few years, I will be able to own a bakery or restaurant which will have Filipino desserts and food.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Haha, smooth you say? I don’t think anyone who starts their own business or is a “one-member team” has a smooth journey. But with all the blood, sweat, tears, and hurdles, it has taught me A LOT – and I’m still learning. Learning about techniques, flavors, and the business aspect. It’s a lot of work doing it all by yourself. From going to the stores and getting the ingredients to prepping and baking, to packaging, and then delivering and scheduling pick-ups was a lot. Luckily, my partner was a huge help in all this chaos that I put myself through. I am an overachiever, so there were many times where I bit way more than I can chew. I am resilient, and I don’t like to give up. I try my best and that’s all that matters to me. My customers are who helped motivate me to pull through! Their kind words and their feedback reminded me why I do what I do. It was so unreal that a lot of people wanted to try my desserts and kept coming back for more! I started getting a lot more clientele and inquiries. I was blown away and it was an adrenaline feeling for me! Until it wasn’t. I wasn’t sleeping, eating/eating healthy, mentally unstable, and just BURNT OUT! I wasn’t myself for a while and I was stressing myself and my partner out. I wasn’t having fun doing what I love anymore. I was overbooking myself and not giving my mind and body some rest. I was neglecting the most important thing that was creating all these delicious and. beautiful creations – me. And I mean c’mon, the most important ingredient to a recipe is love. I really thought I was a machine. I lost motivation, creativity, and energy. I gained so much weight and was having health issues. In February 2022 was when my body was telling me to give myself a break. I had surgery and I was out of the kitchen for a few months. After a few months, I decided to get back to baking and it. felt great! I fell back into love with baking. I don’t bake as much as I have before due to me working full time, but I have been doing a lot of weddings, occasions, and fundraisers here and there!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a home baker/cook and also a Pastry Cook at a fine dining restaurant, ‘Animae’ in Downtown San Diego. I created my baking business last year, 2021 and I gave myself the name ‘One Teaspoon of Yum’. This name clicked to me because with just one teaspoon, you’ll taste the yumminess, and will leave you wanting more! One Teaspoon of Yum is known for. Filipino desserts with a modern twist. I use the knowledge I learned from my aunt and what I learned in school plus my own creativity to execute my delicious products. I have a whole notebook filled with many of my creations that I have yet to share with others slowly.
I am most proud of me being brave and taking the first step. From when I was a child, I’ve always dreamt of being the next Rachel Ray or Giada de Laurentis. But I never pursued it because I didn’t think my parents would’ve accepted the fact that I wanted to be a Chef. I’m finally doing what makes ME happy and that’s what makes me proud. I am proud of not giving up even when things get hard and overwhelming, and I’m mostly proud for sharing and embracing my culture with others through my craft!
My mentors/chefs always tell me that I have that bubbly or “exclamation” personality and that I am very creative with my work. I believe it’s my personality and the unique creations I come up with that sets me apart. There are a lot of people who are familiar with the traditional Filipino desserts whereas with me, I like to give a twist to my desserts!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Because I started my business during Covid, I did learn a lot. I learned how to be patient, to take time for myself – mind and body, and to respect and appreciate self-owned businesses. We put in a lot of work and time in our business and for people to not appreciate that is quite shameful. Even though I don’t have my own kitchen or bakery, I know there’s more for me to prepare myself for and that’s where the patience comes from as well I am taking care of myself now and it allows me to have the energy to add that teaspoon of yum and love in my desserts! During Covid, I have been supporting and meeting a lot of local and small-owned businesses and it feels great knowing the struggles because we are not alone. Til this day, I still support local and small-owned businesses and it’s so nice to see them all striving!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/oneteaspoonofyum
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/oneteaspoonofyum
