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The desserts in Cather Dining Center are always impeccably decorated — on top of being delicious. But customers this week may have noticed some especially festive desserts timed for Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
For that, thank Michelle Kim, one of the dessert chefs on the Cather Dining team, who takes pride in making sweet treats look as good as they taste.
“Decorating allows me to bring more color and creativity to each dessert,” Kim said. “Whether it’s using sprinkles or frosting or something else, I try to give each dessert something unique that adds to the enjoyment.”
Though she’s now a seasoned baker with years of experience, Kim's culinary interests were first piqued in a very relatable way: watching baking content on YouTube.
“Watching famous chefs on YouTube really inspired me to start taking baking seriously,” Kim said. “I just feel really happy when I’m baking. Even on my own time, I’m often baking things for my family or for my church potlucks.”
Kim got her professional start at a bakery in her home city of Seoul, South Korea, learning the basics of how to make all sorts of different desserts and pastries.
“Korean desserts and American desserts have a lot of similarities, but there are some traditional Korean desserts that take a lot longer to prepare,” Kim said. “Here, I’m working a lot faster — and making way bigger batches.”
Despite the frenetic pace of her and her team’s daily baking duties, Kim strives to give desserts in Cather Dining Center a little extra flair. Holidays like Valentine’s Day play right into her strengths.
“This week, we’ll have heart-shaped cookies, chocolate-dipped strawberries, red velvet cake and so much more. My managers and coworkers encourage me and help me a lot when it comes to decorating — we all do as much as we can to make each dessert look fun and taste amazing.”
