Every Day Is A Celebration

Jandri Van Zyl, 31, Is the Owner of the Velvet Cake Co in Cape Town, Where Every Day Is a Special Occasion.she Lives in Gardens With Her Husband, Izak

My grandmother was an amazing baker and my mom’s a great chef, so I suppose a life of working with delicious food is just in my genes! I’ve always loved creating and innovating, even from a young age. I remember my first baking experience; I was seven years old and I chose to bake a simple batch of vanilla sponge cupcakes with rich buttercream frosting.

I always knew I wanted to be my own boss and have my own creative business, but it took me some time to find my niche. I tried a few different career options like photography and fashion, never really thinking of making a career out of baking – even though it has always come naturally to me. Then I enrolled in a pastry course at Capsicum Culinary Studio in Cape Town in 2009, just to put my skills to the test, and that was when I decided to make baking my career.