Inspiring Conversations with Natalie Robles of Knead and Sugar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Robles.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I went through a total career change when I was 29. Before the shift, I graduated from UCLA with a degree in International Development Studies and a minor in Latin American Studies when I was 21, which eventually led me into the nonprofit world. I was always fascinated by the kitchen, cooking, and food in general, so culinary always held somewhat of a space in my head. I knew I would eventually end up owning some sort of food business. Fast forward to 2016: after five years of working at Para Los Niños, I was laid off due to budget cuts. I took that as a sign to either continue along the nonprofit/NGO path or go to culinary school and jump headfirst into that industry. I completed the two years program at Cerritos College while working in the kitchen, and I absolutely fell in love. I immediately realized how physically demanding the job was, but that was one of the parts I fell in love with. The creativity, the connection to culture and history, the physicality, the multi-tasking – all of it was just so fascinating to me.

Then March 2020 hits.

I was working at the Ritz Carlton when events were being canceled left and right. Hours were being cut, which led to layoffs. I was lucky enough to be able to begin working at a bakery in Long Beach soon after and learned tons about bread, but I also felt like there was no better time than to begin my own business since I had more time on my hands. I had always sold cakes and cookies on the side to friends and family, but I had never really placed too much of a focus on it. I now took this opportunity as a sign to really hunker down and decide what it was that I wanted to do for my food business. That’s when I started solidifying Knead and Sugar.

I am no longer at the bakery and am transitioning between jobs, but Knead and Sugar still remains a priority for me. I take custom orders for cakes, sugar cookies, and pies, along with any other custom orders clients come to me with. I also have a menu of items that I offer in which I try to incorporate flavors that remind me of my Mexican background and upbringing. In addition to baked goods, I’ve started facilitating online cooking classes for some of the families that participate in Para Los Niños groups. It has been a lot of fun working with the families and, in turn, seeing how much fun they are having being in the kitchen.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but everything I’ve experienced has been something to learn from. The pandemic definitely created some obstacles in trying to navigate the food industry and what that would look like for my own business. Along with the pandemic, my dad suffered from a few mini strokes in April of 2020, which eventually led to his dementia diagnosis in November. Every day is different. Although it has definitely taken a lot of adjusting and figuring things out as we go, my dad is a tough cookie and so is my mom. The struggles are there, but in the end our tenacity, along with support from friends and family, in overcoming them supersedes it all.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Knead and Sugar is my food business, which focuses on pastries and desserts. I do custom cakes, decorated sugar cookies for special occasions, cookie boxes, pies and tarts, and just about any custom order.

I also have a menu that customers can order from weekly, with pickups on weekends. I am extremely proud of my Mexican background and culture, so I try to incorporate as much of those familiar flavors, along with any flavors that remind me of my upbringing and childhood. Some of the items I have done are a cafe de olla brownie, alfajores, and flan. On the menu are also cream puffs. I like to infuse the fillings with different flavors that you probably won’t encounter anywhere else! Some of the flavors I’ve come up with are agua de jamaica, toasted coconut, and guava, and all of the flavors are house-made and from scratch.

Besides the importance of the flavors that I like to choose, I also love to incorporate color into my desserts. There are some instances where sometimes you just can’t add too much color, but when presented with the opportunity, I love to do it! For example, I like to match the cream puff flavors to the color of the craquelin I put on top. (My strawberry cream puffs have a red top!) Natural colors from fruits, herbs, and flowers are some of my favorites as well, so I always love working with them when someone requests them.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Just go for it. Do what makes you happy (as long as you’re not hurting anyone!) and follow your passions. Don’t be afraid to take that leap because knowing the outcome, no matter how cruddy, is a lot better than living with a “what if” in your head. Get out of your own way!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @kneadandsugar
• Facebook: @kneadandsugar