Marla Ottar, a 34-year-old Jamaican High quality and Compliance Supervisor and Knowledge Safety Officer has seamlessly blended her demanding full-time profession along with her love for baking. By day, she navigates the intricacies of high quality and compliance as a supervisor in a demanding company surroundings. Nonetheless, when the solar units and the town winds down, Ottar transforms right into a culinary artist, crafting desserts and pastries that mirror her Jamaican roots and fervour for baking.
Marla’s baking journey
Ottar’s journey into baking began in her Adventist residence, the place her grandmother’s candy potato pudding was a weekly Sabbath delight.
Decided to create her personal candy masterpieces, Ottar started experimenting with recipes throughout her teenage years, honing her abilities in House Economics lessons.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t till 2020, throughout her Grasp’s research, that she embraced baking significantly below the tutelage of Jamaican “Cake Physician”, Denise Cargill.
She enrolled in lessons, finishing ranges 1 and a couple of in cake baking and adorning by 2022.
The inception of her enterprise
Curiously, this baker doesn’t have a liking for desserts. Whereas she made efforts to develop her abilities, she expressed that her happiness lies in crafting scrumptious treats for her household and pals.
“Despite the fact that I’m baker, I don’t eat a lot cake. So oftentimes once I made desserts at school or tried new recipes by myself I’d give them to household and pals,” she advised the Caribbean Nationwide Weekly.
The inspiration to show her baking pastime right into a enterprise got here from the encouragement of household and pals who couldn’t get sufficient of Ottar’s creations.
“Lady, yuh want fi bake and promote these desserts man, individuals would pay good cash for them,” they’d say.
With a nudge from her finest buddy, “Baked by Divine Pagie’s” was born, paying homage to her grandmother, Pagie.
The pastry palette
Ottar’s pastry repertoire spans birthday and wedding ceremony desserts to conventional Jamaican delights like gizzardas, drops, cocktail patties, cupcakes, plantain tarts, and extra.
Every creation carries the essence of Jamaican flavors, providing prospects a style of the island’s wealthy culinary heritage.
The balancing act
Managing a full-time job and a baking enterprise isn’t any straightforward feat, however Ottar has discovered her rhythm.
The self-proclaimed “evening Baker,” stated she dedicates her evenings, usually between 7 pm and midnight, to crafting the scrumptious treats which have garnered a loyal following.
Reflecting on her journey balancing twin roles, she shared a memorable problem that exposed her onerous work and dedication to each her jobs.
A final-minute cheesecake order examined her time-management abilities to the restrict. Balancing the baking course of with pressing work documentation, she delivered clean cheesecake to her buyer simply within the nick of time.
From these experiences, Ottar realized that her twin roles complement one another professionally. She stated her background in high quality and chemistry ensures her pastries stand out, providing a singular expertise to prospects.
“As a High quality practitioner with a Bachelor’s in Chemistry and Meals Chemistry, Meals security, product high quality, and enhancing the over style and look of desserts and pastries are differentiating attributes. In aiming to please my prospects, I guarantee High quality elements are utilized in my recipes and every buyer’s expertise is uniquely personalized with delicious flavors making a repeat buyer base,” Ottar stated.
She additionally shared that she has cultivated persistence and tenacity, important traits in each domains.
“On knowledgeable foundation, I discovered that I’m changing into extra affected person and tenacious….baking takes persistence, tenacity and endurance…to the wedding of each roles have undoubtedly heightened my private improvement,” she added.
Spreading Christmas pleasure
As Christmas day approaches, Ottar is ready to offer wealthy Jamaican fruit desserts for her household, a concoction of blended fruits soaked in wine and rum.
This custom displays her dedication to high quality and distinctive flavors.
Ottar plans to share her love for baking this Christmas by gifting desserts to coworkers and pals. Her delectable creations will undoubtedly grace many festive tables, bringing pleasure and sweetness to the vacation season.
As Marla Ottar continues to weave her manner via the calls for of compliance administration and the enjoyment of baking, Baked by Divine Pagie’s stands as a testomony to her ardour, resilience, and the irresistible attract of Jamaican flavors.
With every cake, she not solely satisfies candy cravings but additionally evokes others to pursue their culinary desires, regardless of how demanding the journey could also be.
