Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Cheam.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always enjoyed baking as a hobby growing up. I absolutely loved making anything and everything for my friends and family. Although baking is my favorite pastime, I am also known for being a notorious stress baker. It became my outlet for alleviating any stress, be it in school or life in general. The stress baking definitely peaked in college, where it got to the point where everyone around me was able to gauge how I was feeling based on the copious amounts of desserts I would bring to work. A few months after I graduated, the pandemic hit and losing my job served as a catalyst to kickstart this new chapter in my baking journey. While a part of me was relieved that I finally had some free time to just bake my little heart away, I literally could not bake for months since I had no ingredients stocked. It felt strange to be stagnant for so long, but it was definitely a time for me to look at things from a new perspective and allow my creativity to flourish freely. At that point, there was no harm in trying to pursue baking full time since I had nothing to lose and I had no more excuses. So with some aggressive and loving encouragement from my friends, I established Cheam & Sugar and started posting on Instagram where I have been able to share my baking adventures, as well as connect with a bunch of amazing and insanely talented small business owners. In the grand scheme of things, I am so grateful to be able to do what I love and share it with others. It’s incredibly humbling to be able to create something out of nothing and have what I make be a part of a celebration or special moment in time for someone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not, but I’ve honestly been so incredibly lucky to have such a supportive group of friends and family who continuously challenge and encourage me to pursue my baking dream. As someone who is self-taught, everything I have learned has been through trial and error. I’ve had more than my fair share of mistakes, crooked cakes, hockey puck cookies, and one too many all-nighters spending hours scraping a cake. The list could go on and on. That being said, each experience has shaped me into who I am today. I truly don’t think I would have gotten this far and learned the skills and techniques I have gained along the way without making all those mistakes and encountering those struggles. My mindset has definitely shifted since I first started and I have learned to embrace mistakes and see them as an opportunity to learn, grow, and keep things interesting, as nothing good is ever easy (plus, where’s the fun in that). Every obstacle makes me want to work that much harder and learn that much more to perfect my craft.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create custom desserts, specifically specializing in minimalistic cakes decorated with fresh flowers, custom character desserts crafted out of candy coating, and the occasional macaron! I also have a newfound love for baking cookie cakes, which was introduced to me by my dear friend Carly. My curiosity always makes me want to try and make everything at least twice. I thrive off of being able to create different kinds of desserts and being challenged to think outside my creative comfort zone. Cheam & Sugar is heavily influenced by my Taiwanese and Malaysian roots and is a unique culmination of my experiences as a second-generation Asian American. Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by both American and Asian food and desserts, and I am extremely proud to have found a way to combine the two through utilizing a wide range of Asian flavors, such as black sesame, milk tea, pandan and miso caramel, in what would be seen as traditionally American desserts. No two cakes or desserts I make are ever truly the same. I hope by offering these unique flavors, I can strike an interest and expose others to the flavors I grew up with and love.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Even though Cheam & Sugar has been a project in the making for a decade, a significant part of why I did not immediately pursue my passion for baking was due to an overarching fear I had to simply just start. I would always convince myself that I was waiting for “the right time” or “a sign,” when in reality, I was using excuses to feed the small hesitancies in the back of my mind telling me I would not be able to succeed. If I could offer any advice to my younger self or anyone else that is just starting, it would be to just go for it. If you are afraid to start like I was, don’t be! If you’re looking for a sign, let this be it! While it may seem like there are always going to be other people making similar things to what you create, I have realized that you are truly the sole ingredient that makes your product unique. As cheesy as it sounds, there is only one you! When it comes to social media platforms like Instagram, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers – the followers, the likes, the views. Those metrics are cool and all, but they do not and should not determine your success. The most important thing, at least for me, is to always create something that you love, with love. And lastly, I remind myself and encourage you to always stay curious, stay willing, and stay hungry (literally and figuratively!).
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheamandsugar/
Image Credits:
Jayson Antonio Photography, Henry Tang
