Today we’d like to introduce you to Minah Kim.
Minah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey into baking began about five years ago at my husband’s encouragement. At that time, I was working as a chef in Korea but was going through a slump, facing many questions about my future as I was about to turn 30. I decided to explore baking, studied for four months, earned a certification, and quickly started working in a small but growing kitchen. There, I gained invaluable experience—making cream, mixing dough, baking pastries, and even handling shop operations, pop-up markets, and shipping. It was challenging, but I found happiness in learning recipes and building skills while dreaming about the future.
In June 2022, my husband and I moved to the U.S. Starting fresh was not easy—different tools, measurements, and ingredients required a lot of adjustment. We began as a home business and spent a year and a half searching for the right store location. After much hope and disappointment, we were fortunate to find a space that truly felt like a dream. With the support of a landlord who gave us a chance, we were able to start.
Even before opening, I enjoyed sharing small stories of our journey online, which unexpectedly brought us a lot of encouragement. During that time, we also met our in-house artist, @hae_jean, whose work now fills our shop and adds a special touch to our space. Finally, on October 30, 2024, we held our first test opening, and so many people came to support us—it was truly meaningful.
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?
Our shop doesn’t fit into a typical category—it’s not a bakery, café, or cake shop. We call it a dessert store specializing in European-style pastries with a Korean touch. While this concept is common in Korea, it’s unfamiliar to many here, which sometimes makes guests curious or hesitant.
Because I handle everything myself—from cracking eggs to preparing creams—our operating hours are also unique: four days a week, with two shifts on weekdays and one on Saturday. We take pride in using premium European ingredients, especially French AOP butters like Isigny for dough and Pamplie for creams, which set us apart. We also sell these butters directly in-store, something we’re proud to offer to our community.
Seasonal events like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day are especially exciting, as we create special gift-worthy desserts. As we approach our first anniversary this October, we’re planning small events to celebrate, including ones focused on women in business. It hasn’t been an easy road, but every challenge has helped us grow. We’re grateful for the support so far and hope to continue welcoming more people into Baking Room.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Baking Room?
At Baking Room, we create and offer baked goods and desserts rooted in traditional French pâtisserie with little touch of Korean. Every dough and cream is made with premium French butter and premium european chocolates, delivering a depth of flavor you won’t find anywhere else. We are a dessert and pastry store with the heart of an artisanal French bakery. Everything baked in house with one chef only.
Basically we are using best butter, chocolate & european ingredient, that you can find in the world for all our baked goods. Our goal is to create the most delicious baked goods with the finest ingredients, and to share that experience with as many people as possible. We want people to discover that true sweetness doesn’t come from sugar alone, but from the depth of flavor in high-quality butter and chocolate.
At Baking Room, you’ll find familiar favorites like scones, cookies, brownies, and pound cakes — but with a taste that truly sets them apart. We also offer desserts that are harder to come by, such as dacquoise, financiers, Basque cheesecake, and our very own signature Spooning Scone, which you can only experience here. Even our cakes are unique, as we create them with dacquoise, giving them a distinct beauty and flavor that go beyond ordinary cakes. Here, you can even find Maison Bordier — often called the world’s best butter — flown in from France every two weeks, a delicacy that’s hard to come by even in Paris. We value quality over quantity, which is why our hours are a bit unusual and shorter than most. Every item is made with the finest ingredients, love, and passion — so we hope to be discovered by those who are truly searching for something delicious. We’re also confident, because we know that no one else can create what we do.
What makes you happy?
As a Baker, from the raw ingredients, to the process of mixing the dough, to the finished bake — and finally wrapping it up and sharing it — I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and happiness when I get to share something so good and beautiful with others.
When customers walk in, they often smile and say how amazing it smells. They tell us how beautiful the shop and the presentation are, and that everything looks so delicious they want to try it all. When we explain what makes us unique, many are touched and say, ‘With ingredients that good, of course it has to taste amazing!’ They leave so happy with their purchase, often thanking us for creating something so special. Many of them share our pastries as gifts or recommend us to others, who then visit and say things like, ‘This is the butter I couldn’t even find in Paris — I love it!’ Seeing our customers enjoy, feel happy, and satisfied at Baking Room is truly what brings us the greatest joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://inbakingroom.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/inbakingroom
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/inbakingroom
- Yelp: https://yelp.com/biz/baking-room-cypress-3
- Other: https://share.google/qUKt4yaNephdIY9ID
Image Credits
@hae_jean_
