Ep 43: Yahshimabet Sellassie

Yahshimabet Sellassie, Founder & CEO of Yahshi Bakes, developed her culinary interest at the tender age of four. Born in Oakland as a vegetarian to entrepreneur parents in fine arts, design, bodywork, radio journalism, and the restaurant business, she naturally blossomed into her creative energy field. From an early age, she gravitated towards the arts, later developing a passion for cooking and baking. Yahshimabet is influenced by her Jamaican father and her mother's Ethiopian roots, incorporating traditional spices into her cuisine. Her passion for representing her heritage stems from exposure to spices' medicinal properties and how her ancestors cultivated them. Korerima (Ethiopian cardamom) is freshly ground to infuse into her pastries, such as orange cardamom coffeecake and almond cardamom shortbread cookies providing a warming and floral note. At age twelve, Yahshimabet competed for eight rounds in the Kid's Baking Championship on Food Network and landed the series's runner-up position, gaining media attention worldwide. People began to request her products on an international level, desperate to try Yahshi Bakes, "A Taste of Heaven." Yahshimabet began hosting monthly pop-ups at Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, where crowds gathered in lines out the door with reusable containers to experience her sweetness. Rich chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, lemongrass raspberry cake, and ginger spice cookies simply tantalize the taste buds. Yahshimabet's high standards coupled with her devotion to quality naturally led to Yahshi Bakes' growth. Yahshimabet is currently working part-time at As Kneaded Bakery, navigating online college classes, managing Yahshi Bakes full time. Her future plans include: Investing in a commercial kitchen space, curating a team of employees to fulfill orders on a larger scale, traveling the world, opening a cafe and more greatness! Learn more about us by visiting yahshibakes.com.