“My son was turning eight, and I told him that when I retire, I’d open a bakery or a cafe. And his response was like, ‘Why would you do that, why would you start your business when you're older? You don’t have to wait until later; you can do it now.’”

Melody Lorenzo, owner of the modern Filipino dessert catering company Sweet Condesa, recalls her son’s role in motivating her to launch the business, and also notes the influence of her own childhood in creating a project that captures memories of home.

“I was never a baker. But being born and raised in the Philippines, it was always a special experience to me – all the flavor profiles I feature are flavors I grew up with and enjoyed, especially during the holidays. Those are the ones that I miss most. So I wanted to incorporate that into something more modern — elevating Filipino desserts that could be at home at a formal event or a casual setting,” she says. “For example, childhood favorites like ube, pandan and calamansi and inserting them into familiar items like pies, tartlets, and bars.”

Without formal culinary education or professional kitchen experience, pursuing her dream meant starting from scratch and taking up a new craft – motivated by memories of her favorite sweets to eat and share with family.

“I always loved desserts, so in 2008 I signed up for a three-day baking workshop with Meg Ray, the owner of Miette Bakery in San Francisco. And I got so inspired to get good at baking – but I was mostly just doing it on the side for family and friends. And I did that for a couple years, but then had the thought: in any kind of business, you have to give 100 percent no matter what, so even if you have limited time, you still have to give that 100 percent,” she says.

Melody points to her mother as the source for her entrepreneurial spirit, and notes that by giving the fullness of herself to her work, she’s able to make an impact on people’s spirits.

“My mom was a caterer in the Philippines, and as a kid, I got exposed to that kind of environment — putting so much hard work and your passion and doing what you love. Now, I’m inspired to pursue my own culinary endeavor to create reimagined and handcrafted Filipino and Latin-inspired desserts,” she says.

Drawing energy from the smiles of her customers and clients, Melody sees returning that positivity to her community as an integral to Sweet Condesa’s identity.

“Because of how my business started, I feel like part of my purpose is to inspire people to see that no matter how busy or hectic your life is as a woman in the modern world, there’s no reason to delay your dream or set it aside — you are able to find the time and the courage to chase your dreams. Thankfully, I have a supportive husband (who coined the term ‘condesa’), taste testers (my two sons, Aeden and Tiago) and family who are behind me 100%. It’s already hard to build a company, so you might as well do it from a position of confidence! Believe in yourself and believe in your product so that your confidence will translate to the consumers that approach your brand,” she says.

In this way, Melody and Sweet Condesa do so much more than delight customers, or share Filipino flavors with a broader audience. Every bite of Melody’s pastries, cakes, and treats reflects the spirit of being self-made – a message she wants to share with the world.

“For aspiring entrepreneurs, remember to follow your heart, pursue your passion, and do what you love.”

Written by Paul Barrera.

Dreams Become Real at Sweet Condesa