Angliss alumni and ex-Vue De Monde Pastry Chef soars with KittyBakes.
Kitty's journey into the world of patisserie wasn't a straightforward one. However, once you realise Kitty's tenacity, you wouldn't doubt she was made for the foods industry.
In 2020, we had the pleasure of interviewing so many alumni, sharing their small businesses and what they've learned through being an entrepreneur in the experience industry. We're excited to continue to share these stories of triumphs with Founder of KittyBakes and ex-Pastry Chef at Vue De Monde, Kitty Budiharjo.
In a past life, Kitty completed a Bachelor of Accounting and Finance at The University of Melbourne then worked as an accountant at Ernst and Young in Singapore. Between studying and working, Kitty would fill her free time eating good food, baking treats and exploring cafes and restaurants. Good food was a form of escapism.
In 2015, Kitty decided to make a dramatic career switch and applied for a Commercial Cookery course at Angliss.
"At the end of the day, all you want is to be yourself and be happy. It's vital to enjoy what you do. Once you've decided what that is, always give 200%," said Kitty.
When Kitty wasn't busy learning new techniques on campus, she'd be working in professional kitchens too. During her time at Angliss, Kitty worked at Grand Hyatt (secured through Angliss) and Lune Croissanterie. Even though patisserie is a different world to cookery, she was grateful for the skills she learned under the course, such as her knife techniques and other transferrable skills.
"It was an amazing experience! Nothing compares to a live kitchen. Very satisfying. And not to mention, all the great mentors I've met along the way."
Kitty slowly but surely started getting even more exciting opportunities such as working at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and of course, Vue De Monde. So where does KittyBakes fit in all of this?
Like many restaurants, Vue De Monde temporarily closed its business in the thick of COVID-19 in 2020. Born out of necessity and love for baking, KittyBakes officially launched! Kitty’s small business caught the attention of food aficionados around Melbourne, including the esteemed publication The Good Food Guide.
"KittyBakes is inspired by nature and my childhood memories. The marriage of flavours between the classics and Australian native ingredients. Often, great things come from the simplest of forms."
You can visit Kitty's Instagram to order one of her delicious cakes for any occasion. If you can't make up your mind (which Kitty aptly anticipated), you can order one of her tasting boxes to try her top four flavours.
