October 18, 2023
More Than Just a Great Cookie: The Pastry Project
The Pastry Project’s take-and-bake dough is delicious — and it serves a higher purpose.
It hadn’t always been this way, but Rhonda’s life had taken a couple wrong turns, and she and her husband found themselves homeless and living on the street. They fell in with a rough crowd and things got worse — prison. When she got out, she applied to The Pastry Project and was accepted. Now, she’s gainfully employed at Macrina Bakery where she’s worked for over a year. “Without The Pastry Project, I wouldn’t be at the job where I’m at right now,” Rhonda said. “Without Macrina, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I would highly recommend it to people who can’t afford to go to culinary school. Everybody has a chance. You just have to take that chance.”
Located in the heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square, The Pastry Project was co-founded in 2019 by Emily Kim and Heather Hodge. The idea was born while both worked at Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, with Hodge as the head chef and Kim in charge of social impact and marketing. Hiring pastry chefs was a challenge. Kim collaborated with local organizations to employ individuals facing employment obstacles. However, most of these candidates were only suitable for front-of-the-house roles, such as cashiers, due to their lack of culinary skills. Positions in the kitchen demanded a foundational understanding of pastry. So they founded The Pastry Project.
At its heart is their free 14-week baking and pastry training program, offering skills and opportunities to individuals who face barriers to traditional education and employment avenues. The Pastry Project has trained single mothers, people reintegrating post-incarceration, and those simply passionate about baking but lacking the resources or opportunities to go to culinary school. Beyond the kitchen and baking skills, the program instills values of resilience, empowerment, and hope. What began as a solution to fill a skills void in the pastry sector evolved into a social justice movement, making pastry education accessible and turning dreams into reality.
DeLaurenti now carries The Pastry Project’s frozen take-and-bake cookie dough. Kim and Hodge worked overtime to develop recipes for excellent cookies that were foolproof for people baking at home. The results will make you happy! It’s a no-brainer!
-Everybody loves cookies
-Sustainable social impact that improves lives, fills open jobs with skilled workers, and helps people like Rhonda get back on their feet is always worth supporting!
We currently have four flavors in our freezer: Banana Toffee, Reverse Chocolate, Butterscotch Birthday and Coco-Nut.
Same-day orders are available 7 days a week to the greater Seattle area if you order by noon! Use code SHIPFREE for free shipping on all PNW Ground & Same Day orders over $125!
