The Alchemist Baker: Ordinary to Extraordinary

Hi, my name is Ambreen Hasan. Some of you may know me as the chemical engineer who became a pastry chef, while others know me as the Bibi baker or cake lady.

So, what’s my story?... well I was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. At the age of 15, I got the opportunity to move to the U.S. If I had stayed back home, I would probably have achieved my father’s dream and become a doctor like a good Asian daughter. Instead, I chose to pursue engineering. I got my bachelor’s in chemical engineering and worked for few years as an environmental engineer. Little did I know that my life was about to change again. In 2009, my husband Shariq convinced me to listen to my heart and pursue my passion of baking. I enrolled in the French Culinary Institute in NYC and got my pastry arts degree. In the last 12 years, I have raised 2 beautiful daughters as well as worked at various restaurants and bakeries in NY and MA.

Due to last years’s pandemic, life was difficult for all of us, but at the same time it taught us a lot of valuable life lessons. One of them is “no better time than now”. I buried my procrastinator self and published my first cookbook preserving family recipes.

I am an ambitious dreamer and a strong believer in working hard to achieve my dreams. After managing bakeries, I secretly dreamed of owning my own bake shop one day. Nothing brings more joy to me than putting enormous smiles on my customers’ faces. Sugar and baked goods have the power to turn tough days into easy ones, and I love being the face behind that. I don’t want to wait any longer so therefore I am thrilled to announce the launch of my own bakery in fall of 2021. At "The Alchemist baker" I will take raw ingredients and transform them into mouthwatering, tantalizing treats for your body and soul. A reminder of the simpler, better days of childhood when there was nothing better than the smell of fresh baked cookies paired with a glass of ice-cold milk. At this bakery you will experience that nostalgic feeling when u try our warm cookie or scone paired with your choice of cold milk or coffee/tea. The bakery will offer an array of pastries from all over the world baked to order along with a variety of drinks.

My projected startup costs have tripled since I started working on this project. High demand has raised prices for everything including construction, equipment and ingredients. I am confident that this obstacle will not change my mind but instead give me more strength to fulfill my dream. I humbly request you to support me in bringing my dream to reality. Please know that every dollar of your donation will be used to purchase equipment, supplies, and materials needed for my startup.

My favorite author, Paulo Cohelo, once said:

I am very thankful for all of you who took the time to read my story. Wish me luck and stay tuned for updates.

Thank you