The World's First Healthy Baking School
Donation protected
Hi, I am Chef Vanessa Musi!
My mission is to Open the World’s First Healthy Baking School in Austin Texas.
Twenty seven years ago as I was studying to become a Chef and I blacked out in my culinary internship. I was subsequently diagnosed with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Contrary to what that might sound like, having low blood sugar means that you can only eat very little sugar, or else risk sugar spikes in your bloodstream that result in blackouts or worse. It was 1992 and no one knew what to do about my condition. Doctors told me to change careers which of course was impossible as I was, and still am, a huge foodie and baking had been my passion since I was 7 years old.
I travelled the world and quickly realized that there were no pastries I could eat as a result of my hypoglycemia. As a result I committed myself to learning how to make the best pastries in the world while, at the same time, removing as much sugar as possible. I worked really hard, trained in the best pastry schools, learned from the greatest pastry chefs, and ultimately graduated with honors from the French Pastry School.
I have spent 27 years developing delicious paleo, gluten free, keto, vegan and low glycemic pastries that have revolutionized the baking world so that everyone, including people with all sorts of health conditions and food intolerances, can experience their amazing taste and texture. I have also sought to extend the reach of my work and have taught thousands of other chefs and bakers around the world how to put into practice my recipes and methods. I began all that in 2011 when I started a healthy baking school out of my apartment in Mexico City and was teaching 60 students a week on a shoestring budget and have since been doing it by traveling the world and through online classes. Even though I have done all that, I don't believe that this is enough to fully transform the baking world.
Every day I hear about more people suffering from obesity, diabetes, celiac disease...you name it. I get dozens and dozens of messages every day from people asking for delicious healthy desserts. Yet, there are no consistently good alternatives available in the market for delicious pastries and even fewer people that know how to make them. The time is right now to open a full blown school to ensure that even more people around the world learn how to make healthy pastries and instill the culture change we need to improve the health of millions of people everywhere.
Austin is the perfect place to do this. Why? Because it is a foodie city, a health, tech, and consumer good innovation hub, and we have a great community of entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Austin was recently recognized as one of the Blue Zone communities of the US, working to impact the health and longevity of its citizens.
I am so excited by the prospect of opening the world's first healthy baking school in order to cultivate, grow and feed the community and world I love . The good news is that I'm more than halfway there and have already taken the major step of purchasing the land where the school will sit in wonderful East Austin. However, I need your financial support so that I can build and outfit the school itself!
How will the school work?
Once the school is open I will be inviting guest chefs to teach specialized workshops, and invite bakers and enthusiasts to register for both hands on and online classes at the school.
Unlike traditional pastry schools, where you spend tens of thousands of dollars on tuition and up to a year of your life studying, our new healthy baking school will offer short and specialized pastry courses of a few days to no more than a few weeks. This will dramatically expand the pool of people that can afford to participate while also giving them the functional information that they really need and want.
In addition to recipe development and student training, the school will also feature a Bakery Cafe with our best healthy pastries and amazing coffee. This will serve the entire community and drive even more interest from people.
How much do I need to open the school?
The total project cost will be around $550,000.
We have already purchased the property in East Austin with our own money and we are getting a construction loan to pay for most of the construction. However, that won't cover the full cost of setting up the school. We need your help to furnish and equip it in order to create a world class learning environment! This includes: tables, refrigerator/freezers, shelving, mixers, sinks, espresso machine, video equipment, etc.
______________
I'd like to thank everyone who donates in ANY amount. Every contribution to OUR school + bakery gratefully received.
$25
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
1 of my favorite killer recipes (you choose)
$50
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
$100
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in September)
$250
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
1 invite to the grand opening of the school
$500
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
2 invites to the grand opening of the school
2 limited edition t-shirts
$1000 - Limited Quantity Available
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
2 invites to the grand opening of the school
2 limited edition t-shirts
1 VIP baking class at the school
$2500 - Limited Quantity Available
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
4 invites to the grand opening of the school
4 limited edition t-shirts
1 Private VIP Class for you and 3 of your best friends + curated goodie bag for each
$5000
Limited
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
4 invites to the grand opening of the school
4 limited edition t-shirts
1 Private VIP Class for you and 3 of your best friends + curated goodie bag for each
A physical plaque in your honor at the school
Please give me your address and email address (in case I don't have them) so I can send you your recipes, and so I can keep you updated!
----------------------
A MILLION thanks, gratitude to the love of my life: Erin for always supporting my dreams, with actions, resources, creativity, work and love. I am forever grateful to you! This is our project! I could NOT do it without you!
This entire project is dedicated to my amazing Dad who just passed away from diabetes. You are forever in my heart, thank you for raising me, for everything you taught me, for your huge heart. I am a foodie, baker and an entrepreneur because of you.
To my dear Mom, who I have baked brownies and cookies with since I was 7: thank you for giving me a life full of creativity, uniqueness, and for inspiring me work doing what I love and to be a pioneer.
To my dearest sister J who always challenges me to be better in every way! Thank you for raising my standards and pushing me to dream BIG. I love you sis! You are beyond talented and gifted!
Huge thanks to my super talented friend Jon Scotty from Eat my Media for making the awesome video!! I could not have done this without you!
To each and everyone of my students who are like FAMILY I treasure you more than you can imagine and to YOU. Thanks for reading this far !! And if I've sent this to you, YOU have impacted my life I am beyond grateful. If I didn't personally send this to you, the thread that got you here is the meaning of life to me. Community and connection. And love and passion for pastries. Thanks for creating a sweet and healthy world with me.
To all my amazing brands, sponsors who have supported my workshops, classes, recipes for 27 years and are a HUGE part of my kitchen! I think of each of you every single day! I could NOT do ANY of this with out you!
-----------
My mission is to Open the World’s First Healthy Baking School in Austin Texas.
Twenty seven years ago as I was studying to become a Chef and I blacked out in my culinary internship. I was subsequently diagnosed with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Contrary to what that might sound like, having low blood sugar means that you can only eat very little sugar, or else risk sugar spikes in your bloodstream that result in blackouts or worse. It was 1992 and no one knew what to do about my condition. Doctors told me to change careers which of course was impossible as I was, and still am, a huge foodie and baking had been my passion since I was 7 years old.
I travelled the world and quickly realized that there were no pastries I could eat as a result of my hypoglycemia. As a result I committed myself to learning how to make the best pastries in the world while, at the same time, removing as much sugar as possible. I worked really hard, trained in the best pastry schools, learned from the greatest pastry chefs, and ultimately graduated with honors from the French Pastry School.
I have spent 27 years developing delicious paleo, gluten free, keto, vegan and low glycemic pastries that have revolutionized the baking world so that everyone, including people with all sorts of health conditions and food intolerances, can experience their amazing taste and texture. I have also sought to extend the reach of my work and have taught thousands of other chefs and bakers around the world how to put into practice my recipes and methods. I began all that in 2011 when I started a healthy baking school out of my apartment in Mexico City and was teaching 60 students a week on a shoestring budget and have since been doing it by traveling the world and through online classes. Even though I have done all that, I don't believe that this is enough to fully transform the baking world.
Every day I hear about more people suffering from obesity, diabetes, celiac disease...you name it. I get dozens and dozens of messages every day from people asking for delicious healthy desserts. Yet, there are no consistently good alternatives available in the market for delicious pastries and even fewer people that know how to make them. The time is right now to open a full blown school to ensure that even more people around the world learn how to make healthy pastries and instill the culture change we need to improve the health of millions of people everywhere.
Austin is the perfect place to do this. Why? Because it is a foodie city, a health, tech, and consumer good innovation hub, and we have a great community of entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Austin was recently recognized as one of the Blue Zone communities of the US, working to impact the health and longevity of its citizens.
I am so excited by the prospect of opening the world's first healthy baking school in order to cultivate, grow and feed the community and world I love . The good news is that I'm more than halfway there and have already taken the major step of purchasing the land where the school will sit in wonderful East Austin. However, I need your financial support so that I can build and outfit the school itself!
How will the school work?
Once the school is open I will be inviting guest chefs to teach specialized workshops, and invite bakers and enthusiasts to register for both hands on and online classes at the school.
Unlike traditional pastry schools, where you spend tens of thousands of dollars on tuition and up to a year of your life studying, our new healthy baking school will offer short and specialized pastry courses of a few days to no more than a few weeks. This will dramatically expand the pool of people that can afford to participate while also giving them the functional information that they really need and want.
In addition to recipe development and student training, the school will also feature a Bakery Cafe with our best healthy pastries and amazing coffee. This will serve the entire community and drive even more interest from people.
How much do I need to open the school?
The total project cost will be around $550,000.
We have already purchased the property in East Austin with our own money and we are getting a construction loan to pay for most of the construction. However, that won't cover the full cost of setting up the school. We need your help to furnish and equip it in order to create a world class learning environment! This includes: tables, refrigerator/freezers, shelving, mixers, sinks, espresso machine, video equipment, etc.
______________
I'd like to thank everyone who donates in ANY amount. Every contribution to OUR school + bakery gratefully received.
$25
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
1 of my favorite killer recipes (you choose)
$50
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
$100
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in September)
$250
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
1 invite to the grand opening of the school
$500
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
2 invites to the grand opening of the school
2 limited edition t-shirts
$1000 - Limited Quantity Available
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
2 invites to the grand opening of the school
2 limited edition t-shirts
1 VIP baking class at the school
$2500 - Limited Quantity Available
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
4 invites to the grand opening of the school
4 limited edition t-shirts
1 Private VIP Class for you and 3 of your best friends + curated goodie bag for each
$5000
Limited
Thank you and a mention on my contributor wall in my website
2 of my top favorite killer recipes (you choose)
My keto recipe ebook in English (launches in March)
4 invites to the grand opening of the school
4 limited edition t-shirts
1 Private VIP Class for you and 3 of your best friends + curated goodie bag for each
A physical plaque in your honor at the school
Please give me your address and email address (in case I don't have them) so I can send you your recipes, and so I can keep you updated!
----------------------
A MILLION thanks, gratitude to the love of my life: Erin for always supporting my dreams, with actions, resources, creativity, work and love. I am forever grateful to you! This is our project! I could NOT do it without you!
This entire project is dedicated to my amazing Dad who just passed away from diabetes. You are forever in my heart, thank you for raising me, for everything you taught me, for your huge heart. I am a foodie, baker and an entrepreneur because of you.
To my dear Mom, who I have baked brownies and cookies with since I was 7: thank you for giving me a life full of creativity, uniqueness, and for inspiring me work doing what I love and to be a pioneer.
To my dearest sister J who always challenges me to be better in every way! Thank you for raising my standards and pushing me to dream BIG. I love you sis! You are beyond talented and gifted!
Huge thanks to my super talented friend Jon Scotty from Eat my Media for making the awesome video!! I could not have done this without you!
To each and everyone of my students who are like FAMILY I treasure you more than you can imagine and to YOU. Thanks for reading this far !! And if I've sent this to you, YOU have impacted my life I am beyond grateful. If I didn't personally send this to you, the thread that got you here is the meaning of life to me. Community and connection. And love and passion for pastries. Thanks for creating a sweet and healthy world with me.
To all my amazing brands, sponsors who have supported my workshops, classes, recipes for 27 years and are a HUGE part of my kitchen! I think of each of you every single day! I could NOT do ANY of this with out you!
-----------
Organizer
Vanessa Defosse
Organizer
Austin, TX