Wake and Bake with Sheetal Marwah’s Ani’s Bakehouse

There is hardly anyone whose mouth won’t start watering when thinking about cakes, cookies, and other bakery items. Many big bakery chains serve foodies with delicious food items. However, these big chains have monopolized this market for a long time. Sheetal Marwah’s Ani’s Bakehouse is a home bakery that is establishing its name in the market because of the special baked items that she prepares with extra affection for her customers.

Tired of the fast-paced corporate and its monotonous life, Sheetal Marwah decided to do something that she liked. This decision made her quit her job at a multinational organization when she was in her early thirties and start a home-bakery Ani’s Bakehouse. Considering the turn of life at which she was standing, it is not surprising that all she heard from her peers and family were apprehensions and doubts.

If you belong to a typical Indian household, you must understand the pressure that she had. However, she kept her head clear and had a perfect vision for her future. She knew where she wanted to be, and that is all that mattered.

Sheetal considers this spontaneous decision to quit corporate life as the best thing that has happened to her. She dreaded her earlier routines, but now she loves waking up because she knows she will be doing something she loves.  

While Sheetal has a regular customer base now, the journey that she undertook to reach here wasn’t easy. There was extraordinary pressure on her. She was also a home-baker, which didn’t mean much in the market where big food-chains and bakeries dominated. But she soon discovered that the secret to succeeding in this particular niche was through word of mouth. She started distributing her products with her friends, and soon, the word spread.

Sheetal, who is a very gifted baker, started with basic cakes and cookies. But once people developed a taste for her baked goodies, she moved towards taking special orders. Now, she not only has her regular menu, but she also takes special orders and custom-bakes according to the customer’s tastes. Her bakery is the go-to for many people who have tried her food items.  

Sheetal says, ‘When you take special orders like wedding or birthday cakes, it is important that you prepare those orders with extra affection and care. The food that is served during these occasions is often talked about among friends and families. If you deliver tasteless or ill-prepared food, you will end up ruining someone’s special occasion. This is why I make sure that I prepare every special order understanding the emotions behind the occasion. And luckily, I haven’t ruined anybody’s expectations till now, and I plan to continue making my customer’s special events more special.’

It’s been four years since she started her journey as a home-baker. Being in this line of profession, there is no guaranteed income. There’s a risk that you might not get any orders for months altogether. But as they say, what’s easy is not worth it. And what’s worth something is seldom easy.

No matter the hurdles that she has faced, her unwavering attitude towards life never lets her give up. She wakes up every morning and does what she loves to do. This is the special ingredient that makes all her food products such a delight to eat.

Talking about the future, Sheetal is very hopeful and enthusiastic about Ani’s Bakehouse. She wants to specialize in wedding cakes and also wants to have a professional kitchen of her own. She wants to have a special set-up in the kitchen where she can give classes and teach baking. She wants to help upcoming bakers and pastry chefs learn and grow in this beautiful art.

After four long years of struggle, Sheetal is glad about the way things have turned out. She knows that the road ahead is not easy, but she is ready to tackle any challenge along the way. She wants to grow personally and as a brand. She wants to change the baking industry trend and introduce people to the culture of home baking.

To connect and order some delicious, mouth-watering cookies or cakes, you can connect with her on Instagram.