KMB interviews talented Cake Designer Tinna Okiy-Idahosa as she talks more on her Made in Nigeria Brand - TASTYCRAFT.NG
By Kemi Mobuse - Wednesday, August 08, 2018
Cake, when done right, has layers and to me More layers = more fun. And then, there’s the experience of eating the cake itself. If ever the sugary frosting is too much (usually never the case for me), you can count on the interior to balance things out. I love this juxtaposition more than anything. Just picture yourself digging your spoon into a slice of that. It’s good, isn’t it? Hehe! My blood sugar is rising just thinking of it.
So coming across the yummy cakes made by Made in Nigeria brand tastycraft is a wonderful reminder of my amazing love for cake and how special they make me feel…..
KMB interviewed the CEO (Tinna Okiy-Idahosa) who decorated her first cake back in secondary school and below are excerpts from the interview….
KMB: Hello, Can you tell us more about
yourself and your background in general?
Tasty craft: My name is Tinna Okiy-Idahosa. I am Ijaw by
tribe but married to a Bini man. Our marriage is blessed with two kids, both
boys.
I lived all my life in Benin City, Edo state, and did from my primary to university education there too.
I lived all my life in Benin City, Edo state, and did from my primary to university education there too.
KMB: How did you first venture into the
world of cake decoration?
Tasty craft: I started baking from secondary school
because my mom is a caterer. While still in the university, I went to learn the
art of cake baking and decoration professionally from seasoned bakers in Benin City
and Lagos state. I ventured into the trade officially and professionally in
2004.
KMB: When did you realize that you
could turn your passion into a business?
Tasty craft: During my university days, I had a few
people who knew about my passion for anything food and cakes and as such I got
so much encouragement from friends and family to go into it full-time as a
source of livelihood. I had always wanted to be self-employed and not work in
any establishment that wasn't directly mine.
So in 2004,
months after my wedding ceremony, I decided to open a shop where people could
come and order for cakes and other catering related services, that's how my
business was birthed. I started out with the name "The cake shop” while in
benin but over time the name was changed to "Tastycraft" when I
relocated to Lagos where I now live and do my business.
KMB: You’ve created a wide range of
cakes and designs – how would you best describe your cake decorating
style?
Tasty craft: I would say EXCEPTIONALLY UNIQUE. I learn a lot and try to incorporate what I
learn into making my cakes and designs unique to my brand.
KMB: What places, people, or cities
influence your baking and new product ideas most?
Tasty craft: I would say I get a lot of my influence from
other bakers I have trained with within Edo state and Lagos state, also from researches
I’ve done from the internet as well as videos that I come across. They help me
keep abreast with trends, styles, recipes, methods and products that are
available for use in getting excellent results in taste and quality.
KMB: Do you have a favourite character
or design that you always use?
Tasty craft: No I don't, I try not to be a stereotype or be
stagnant. I am open to challenges so I make different cakes and designs except
when a client is insistent on something in particular.
KMB: what do you think makes a really
good wedding cake design?
Tasty craft: Perfect finishing and unique detailing.
Anyone who sees the wedding cake should be able to appreciate that wow effect
on the cake. For me, a wedding cake doesn't have to be too busy in design to be
appreciated.
KMB: What’s the most unusual cake
design you’ve been asked to create for a client?
Tasty craft: Some years back, while I was still residing
in Benin city, I had a client who wanted a 3 tier wedding cake designed upside
down with the smallest cake underneath the base and the biggest on the top. It
was challenging but my amazing team and I were able to pull it off after a lot of research. And thankfully the
client was impressed and that brought in other jobs.
KMB: And your favourite design?
Tasty craft: I love all the designs I have done over time.
KMB: What do you like about teaching
and passing on your skills?
Tasty craft: I love the fact that I am able to help other
people become independent through my training classes. There is always that
sense of fulfillment when I get good feedbacks from past trainees on their
progress and achievements after they’ve set out on their own.
KMB: What's the craziest/most
unexpected thing that's ever happened to you while on the job?
Tasty craft: I made a wedding cake for a client and
almost a year later, the client sends me back one of the cakes to recover with
fresh icing for her baby dedication. I was pleasantly surprised that she took
to my instructions and was able to keep her wedding cake for that length of
time, and then the taste of the fruit cake had improved and me as a baker I was
overwhelmed as to how tasty it still was after that length of time.
KMB: Do you have any plans for the
future that you’d like to share with us?
Tasty craft: My future plans when I can, are to pick out
a few willing individuals randomly from time to time and pass on knowledge on
cake making and decoration for free, so they can be self-independent. Then also
to grow my client base more and expand into other profitable ventures as God
leads.
KMB: What advice do you have for novice bakers?
Tasty craft: Never give up, do not turn own jobs, research a lot, keep learning and
keep improving on yourself and your skills and you will be amazed at how things
will progress rapidly
KMB: Lastly, How will you like to be
contacted?
Tasty craft: I can be reached through:
Instagram: @tastycraft_ng
Calls via
WhatsApp: 08072113182
Message: bit.ly/2qK3Wcx
More amazing pictures of her cakes below:
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