Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Wilkins.
Rachael, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Many of my favorite memories from growing up are in the kitchen. Early morning pancakes with my grandmother, late-night batches of chocolate chip cookies with my sister and mother… the smell of vanilla always takes me back to those happy times. I’ve always dreamed of owning a bakery, but it was always “one day…” After my daughter was born in 2018, I found myself in the fortunate position to start pursuing my dream, and even more, motivation to do so. I wanted to start moving away from the late nights as a bartender and spend more time with my family. So I got to work in the kitchen.
I have had an obsession with macarons for years, dragging my partner, Derek, with me to find the best macarons in any city we visited. So I made my first batch. If anyone has tried to make macarons, they know it is a labor of love. I tried again and again, learning more and more each time until finally, I was happy with my results!
My first sale was to Derek’s job for a big meeting. I had sent several of my test batches with him to work to share, and one day he came home and said they wanted to order four dozen! At first, I was nervous and contemplated telling them I wasn’t ready yet. But I had been saying “one day” for long enough, so instead, I said “yes!” And I’ve been baking non-stop ever since!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Any business is going to have its struggles, especially in the beginning. There was so much to learn and still is. Navigating that part of my life while also navigating the first years of motherhood comes with its own struggles. Finding a balance between home and business has always been difficult for me. Having a sweet toddler that I stay home with means there are many late nights of baking (which honestly, I don’t really mind those late nights when the house is still and I can truly get in the “zone”), and some adjusting of schedules, but my family has always been supportive, for which I am thankful!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Pastry Parlour – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a home-based bakery operating under cottage food law. My specialty is French macarons, but I also make buttercream cakes and quick breads like banana bread. My macarons are definitely what I’m known most for, though!
I am proud of the quality of the product I offer. There truly is nothing that beats a freshly baked macaron. Believe me, if you’ve only ever had the frozen macarons from a grocery store, you have to try the real thing! My macarons are never frozen and are made with the best ingredients I can find. I use natural ingredients for flavoring whenever possible, and I love coming up with new flavors and new combinations to keep things fresh! I’m also constantly trying to push myself by trying new things. Many people don’t know it, but macarons can come in many shapes and sizes! For Christmas, I made snowman and Christmas tree macarons, Valentine’s Day brought rose-shaped macarons, and Mother’s Day I made hand-painted flowers that were made of six different petal macarons! I have so many more ideas that I can’t wait to share!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The end goal would be to have a physical location for my bakery, but for now, I’m taking things one step at a time to make my goodies available to as many people as possible. I started baking just a few dozen macarons a week. Then I started taking preorders to make even more. This summer started my first season as a weekly vendor at the Saint Michael’s Farmers Market in Dallas, and this month I started a neighborhood tour with weekly visits to local neighborhoods and parks in my vintage camper ‘macaron mobile! I’ll be continuing to look for more opportunities for markets and pop-ups, and hope to be able to develop wholesale relationships with local businesses in the future.
Pricing:
- Macarons $22/dozen
- Nut-free macarons $25/dozen
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepastryparlourtx.com
- Phone: 5403928654
- Email: thepastryparlourtx@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepastryparlourtx
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/thepastryparlourtx
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