Team Member Spotlight – Yvette Castillo, Senior Research & Development Manager
Yvette Castillo, Senior Research & Development Manager for Paris Baguette in the U.S, turned her passion for baking into a flourishing career. With a degree in baking & pastry arts, as well as culinary nutrition from Johnson & Wales University, Castillo has an extensive knowledge of the industry on a molecular level. Her passion for all things savory and sweet have led her to her current role, where she oversees new product development and cake design.
We recently went behind the scenes to learn the secret recipe that makes Yvette such an integral piece of the team. Whether she is developing new specialty cake concepts or researching what will resonate best with guests, she’s always innovating and thinking ahead.
Q: When did you start baking and cake decorating?
A: I started baking/cake decorating when I was about 14 years old as a fun past time with my mom.
Q: What inspired or sparked your passion for baking?
A: My mom was a baker herself and inspired me to start baking. I was most interested in the science behind baking, which is how I got into it and how I chose my education path. I received my associate degree in Baking & Pastry Arts and my bachelor’s degree in Culinary Nutrition with a concentration in Food Science.
Q: What are you most excited for working at Paris Baguette?
A: I’m most excited about working on the specialty cakes program for Paris Baguette. It’s very new and there’s an endless amount of creativity that can be poured into it.
Q: What is your favorite cake at Paris Baguette and why?
A: My favorite cake at Paris Baguette is the Blueberry Chiffon Cake. It is super fluffy, has the right amount of blueberry flavor, the perfect amount of sweetness and it’s just delicious.
Q: Which pastry is your favorite at Paris Baguette and why?
A: My favorite pastry at Paris Baguette is the Coffee Danish. It is soft on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. It also pairs well with a cup of coffee.
Q: What are 3 words to describe you and why?
A: Three words to describe myself would be: creative, thoughtful and adventurous. Creative because I’m always taking a random idea and making it into a cake or baked product. Being able to see the outcome and to see if it works or not is exciting. Thoughtful because I never bake anything without making extra to give away to friends and family. Adventurous because I love taking food-ventures, trying new things and getting inspired.
Q: Describe your daily routine at Paris Baguette.
A: My daily routine at Paris Baguette, in short, consists of researching on social media platforms to see what’s trending and what’s hot on the market. I spend time in the R&D kitchen creating cake designs that our current and future customers will enjoy. I also handle the paperwork and format recipe costs, create recipe manuals and source new items to be able to create products for our cake line.
Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
A: My favorite part of the job is being in the kitchen and being able to freely create and re-create. Nothing ever comes out perfectly on the first try, and as long as you can accept that, you can learn and grow. I love feedback from my peers as this helps me see how I can challenge myself and create something I might not have thought of.
Q: Any exciting ideas coming up that you can share?
A: You’ll have to wait and see, but I can share a little secret. We are looking into expanding the animal cakes in our cake line.
With Yvette on board, we’re excited for the delicious and beautiful creations to come. Be on the lookout for what she and her team does next!
