Today we’d like to introduce you to Erliz Caren Vanessa Maddox.
Hi Erliz Caren Vanessa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in the Philippines but moved to Austin, Texas, in January 2018 to start my cooking career. My cooking passion started when my mom went abroad to work, I think I was in 5th grade at that time. And before she left, I asked her if she could teach me how to cook simple Filipino dishes. From there, I was able to cook meals for my family (siblings and my dad who’d also been busy with his work). Up until now that I have my own family~ three daughters and a husband.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Perpetual Help College of Manila; where I joined various cooking competitions where I and my team won Gold medalist in ASEAN Fusion, Silver medalist in Cake decorating, Bronze medalist in Centerpiece making, and Classical Cuisine.
Bake’n Bite was started by (Me) Erliz Maddox and Clarissa Veraguas when the pandemic hit in 2020.
We started baking Filipino baked goods to sell to our co-Filipino customers in Austin, Texas just to have an extra income. Since then the business has grown by adding various baked goods.
After moving into our new neighborhood, Clarissa and I part ways, but I continue to bake.
My love for baking has expanded to custom cakes, cupcakes, pies, and my famous Heavenly Sinnamon Rolls, which are a big hit with my neighbors. The first cake that I did was requested by a friend for his friend’s birthday party, and because of that, word of mouth passed through everywhere and got lots of custom orders up until now. My dream is to have my own Bake Shop one day because I found that cake decorating is fun and a work of art for me. With the continued support from my current customers, family, and friends I will reach my dream one day. But for now, I will continue baking in the comfort of my home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s never been a smooth road for me to start this baking business. I was struggling most in finding time for my baking since I’m working full-time with my other job, and at the same time, I’m a full-time mom to my daughters and a wife to my husband. But, because of my willingness and determination, I always managed to do all those jobs that I mentioned above.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m currently working at Buda Oaks Assisted Living Place as a Sous Chef. Working here taught me so much about the hospitality industry. Despite all the struggles and stress at work, I learned how to embrace this job, knowing that residents appreciate my work, and I love to hear from them that they are happy whenever they see me walking into the dining and serving them. The thing that I am proud of is that I have people skills, not everyone can be a people person or a leader. I used to communicate and interact with others effectively. My passion for this industry and the people who make up this industry make me a valuable addition to any team.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up is the difference between being told what to do and what decisions to make. Making your own decisions and choosing the path you think is right. Through that journey, I adopt a sense of responsibility and independence.
Pricing:
- Cake Pricing start at $40 for 6″ round cake
- Cupcakes per dozen start at $36
Contact Info:
- Email: baken.bite@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bake.nbiteatx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bakeNbiteATX
Image Credits
Credit: Erliz Maddox
