My Journey: From Pastry School to Opening Bakeofy
People told me I was too young to open a bakery at 21, but I knew I had something special to share. This is the raw, unfiltered story of how I went from a nervous student at the School for European Pastry to building Bakeofy from scratch.
I believe the move you're afraid to make could be the one that changes everything. This was the moment I decided to take the leap and enroll in pastry school. I was more excited than afraid, and that's when I knew I had to begin.
The countdown to one of the biggest moments of my journey. This video shows the final days of my course, from practicing sugar flowers to perfecting macarons, leading up to my graduation.
Officially a graduate! Holding this certificate from the School for European Pastry felt surreal. It represents countless hours of hard work, sleepless nights, and the beginning of my professional journey as a chef.
A picture from my graduation day with my mentors. I'm so grateful to have learned from the best chefs who taught me with so much patience and pushed me to be better every day.
Standing proudly with my chefs on graduation day. This was the end of my course, but the real beginning of my Bakeofy journey.
The whole batch! I made some really special friends at SEP. The school felt like a home where I grew not just as a chef, but as a person.
Another proud moment with one of my respected instructors at SEP. Learning from such experienced chefs was an honor.
Posing with my chef and the beautiful cakes we created. The skills I learned here are the foundation of every dessert I make at Bakeofy.
I was completely starstruck learning from Chef Vikas. His lessons, the way he taught with such ease, and the giggles we shared are memories I'll always hold close from my time at SEP.
This reel always hits differently. It's a small glimpse into my life as a pastry student, a journey that was so inviting and memorable.
About My Journey: From Pastry School to Bakery Owner
Opening a bakery at 22 wasn't about fancy margins or ROI; it was about the rishtey (relationships) I built with every order. While you see the finished cakes on this page, the reality behind these images was messy—it involved endless late-night test batches, managing my own supplies, and handling those initial, overwhelming orders while I was still learning the ropes. When you reach out to me, you aren't just getting a cake, you are getting a treat made with that same 'kitchen-to-customer' care I promised myself when I started.
I still remember walking into the School for European Pastry on day one—nervous, excited, and full of hope. I had a lot of people tell me I was too young or that it was too risky to start something of my own in Delhi's competitive food scene. But I chose to trust the process.
My journey at SEP wasn't just about learning the science of tempering chocolate or achieving the perfect crumb structure; it was about realizing that baking is moving with heart and cream. It is a slow, methodical process that taught me three tough lessons:
- The journey teaches you new things daily, even when you feel like you have figured it all out.
- Results don't always match the effort on the first try, and that is okay.
- Sometimes you have to do the hard work you don't love to move forward to the success you do want.
From those early days of practicing sugar flowers to today, where I run Bakeofy out of Shalimar Bagh, my focus remains unchanged: everything is 100% eggless, handcrafted, and baked from scratch. I don't use stabilizers or industrial shortcuts. Whether it is a small-batch brownie or a full-blown celebration cake, every item that leaves my kitchen has my stamp of approval. I wanted to build a place where people felt safe ordering for their families, just like they would for their own kids. This isn't just my bakery—it is all of yours.
Bakeofy By Aastha Jain
I’m Aastha, a 22-year-old bakery owner who believes the best cakes are baked like you’re feeding your own family. I swapped my textbooks for whisks and opened Bakeofy, where every eggless dessert I make carries the lessons and the heart I poured into my formal pastry training.
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