06/06/2026
Today, Polkadots Bakery turns 18! 🙏
As a little girl growing up in Indonesia, I dreamed of having an Easy-Bake Oven. Instead, my mom got a Fitness Barbie set. Her defense it was on sale. My parents were very loving, yet they were also typical Asian parents. They were always pushing me to become the best version of myself—sometimes to the point of feeling overwhelming. I attended an Ursuline Catholic all-girls school for six years. Those six years taught me so much: try, push harder, have grit, try again, don’t give up… and, of course, cry a little more. 😂
Another dream of mine was to study overseas, so I could experience more freedom and independence. My dad agreed—with a four-year limit attached.
It took me three or more attempts to achieve the minimum TOEFL score needed to get into UT. Language and reading were never my strengths, but I loved math and science. In 2002, I graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After taking a materials lab class, I realized I didn’t want to practice engineering. What I truly loved was working with my hands and being in the kitchen. After graduation, I moved to California and applied to business school. Then one night, I saw an ad on Food Network for a cooking school in Pasadena. I picked up the phone and called my dad to tell him I was going to culinary school instead. 😂 Cont…📸
