Interview: Why Chef Misuzu became a pastry chef

Interviewer: What made you decide to become a pastry chef?

Chef Misuzu: So, going back to my childhood, I always wanted to be a pastry chef because I wanted to bake and share with my friends and family. I was really happy that they liked what I made. Then I realized it was enjoyable to create something that my friends and family can enjoy. I think that made me want to become a pastry chef.

Interviewer: Absolutely. And is it the creativity side that you like about being a pastry chef?

Chef Misuzu: At the beginning, it was not really about the creativity side, but now definitely. I really like the creative side of being a pastry chef. In the beginning, it was more about just following a recipe from my pastry book. I would go through the book almost every day, not necessarily reading through it, but I would go through some pages of the book and follow the recipes and make them.

Interviewer: Right. Did you have any inspirations, like your mother or your grandma, that kind of got you into pastry making?

Chef Misuzu: No. Nobody in my family is really into baking or cooking. My mother didn’t let me be in the kitchen because she would have to clean after I made a mess. And also she was worried about me touching knives or fire. It was probably more about the cleaning thing though. I think the fact that I was not allowed in the kitchen made me want to do more stuff in the kitchen.

Interviewer: As all kids do. So, what inspired you to get your first pastry book?

Chef Misuzu: Um, I’m not sure, but I think it’s simply because I loved sweets and eating them. That was the main thing. I really love pastry sweets. When I made sweets and shared them with my friends at school for the first time, they liked what I made, and that was something I had never experienced.

Interviewer: So, you got joy from others appreciating your work. Very nice. Okay. Do you remember purchasing your first pastry book?

Chef Misuzu: I think so. Yes. I still have the book. My favorite book. Yeah. I don’t remember vividly what it was like when I bought it. I think it was a pastry book written by a housewife, who was very popular back then.