05/05/2021
💫 Behind the name: I've decided to call the bakery 'ikigai' after the Japanese concept referring to having a direction or purpose in life; providing a sense of fulfillment to a person, and towards which they may take actions, giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning. I first heard of this concept from a mentor of mine, who has always encouraged me to find my “ikigai”. It's important to chase our dreams and it's nice to be able to afford vacations and to buy nice things, but will these things allow us to find our purpose in life, to fulfill our “ikigai”?
💫 My vision for this bakery is my "ikigai" - baking for others is something I love doing, which I’ve been told I’m good at, and will earn a small income from. But most importantly, it is what the world needs - a platform where (1) I am able to share food from my culture and other Asian countries with my network; (2) spread awareness and create dialogue on issues that my people face such as the increase in Asian hate crime since the pandemic has started, and (3) highlight different charities that are doing great work in our community.
💫 There are many things in life that will allow us to achieve our "ikigai" and I encourage you to find yours - this is just the beginning!
