Joyce connects the local community, sharing important aspects of her culture, through her popular cooking classes.
The Joyce of Cooking is a series of Asian cooking classes hosted by Joyce Leung, a food writer for the Hamilton Spectator. In this series, she explores various cuisines, including Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian and more.
Leung was born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada when she was six years old. She graduated from the University of Guelph’s hospitality and tourism management program after which she went on to work as a manager at and Terminal 3 restaurants at Pearson Airport.
“I always loved food. It was always a big part of my life,” said Leung.
It was only after she started a marketing job though that she began a blog to teach people how to cook. Right before the COVID-19 pandemic began, she started working with the Casual Gourmet to host Asian food cooking demos. But a week in, she transitioned to online classes every weekend.
This year, she has returned to in-person cooking classes at the Casual Gourmet. For classes involving a stove, she does them at the Chef Supply Store on James Street North and the Modern Design Studio on Locke Street. She also hosts classes at breweries in Kitchener and Guelph.
Her cooking classes accommodate people from all levels and she does her best to ensure everyone is comfortable. She explains her steps in different ways since she recognizes everyone learns differently.
“Some people like to watch me do it once and then they try. Some people like to listen, some people like to do it along with me to fully understand. So I try to be really patient and explain my directions multiple times,” explained Leung.
Her cooking classes stand out due to her hands-on approach and the inclusivity of her lessons for all ages and cooking skills. Her sushi classes are the most popular along with dumplings, Chinese and Thai dishes.
Leung’s goal is to help build confidence in her students while doing her part in reducing food insecurity since it is more economical to make your own food. She also teaches variations of recipes to accommodate everyone.
“I really want [people] to build confidence in the kitchen . . . I think if you build a lot of confidence in the kitchen, you're more inclined to try a harder recipe or potentially a different cuisine altogether. My ultimate goal for cooking classes is to reduce food insecurity,” said Leung.
“I really want [people] to build confidence in the kitchen . . . I think if you build a lot of confidence in the kitchen, you're more inclined to try a harder recipe or potentially a different cuisine altogether. My ultimate goal for cooking classes is to reduce food insecurity,”
Joyce Leung, Joyce of Cooking Host
In the future, she hopes to continue running her Asian cooking classes and volunteer at various organizations in Hamilton to teach cooking skills to more people.
The gift shop eases access to K-pop and anime merchandise for Hamilton fans
Sarah & Tom Gift Shop is a Korean pop merchandise store with many locations across Canada. The story of Sarah & Tom began in 2009 when the first store in Toronto opened. Sarah Milberry, one of the co-owners, explained the store had started as a place for Korean and Japanese stationery products which are often difficult to find in North American markets.
“We first opened in 2009 in Toronto. My husband’s Korean and I spent a year teaching English in Korea. The main draw or excitement that we wanted to bring to our business idea was Korean or Japanese stationary products,” said Milberry.
Interestingly, the shop did not always have K-pop merchandise, but as its base grew they noticed more customers seeking K-pop related items. When Milberry and her husband first introduced K-pop merchandise, they received positive reception and over the years, they collected a large stock of different K-pop albums and anime merchandise for customers.
“If they are a K-pop fan, [we have a] wide selection of K-pop albums . . . If you’re more on the anime side of things, we have a lot of figurines and posters related to a wide variety of different animations,” Milberry said.
“If they are a K-pop fan, [we have a] wide selection of K-pop albums . . . If you’re more on the anime side of things, we have a lot of figurines and posters related to a wide variety of different animations,”
Sarah Milberry, Co-Owner of Sarah & Tom Giftshop
In May 2022 they opened a location in Hamilton’s International Village area. They expanded to Hamilton because they noticed a large group of their customers were from here, including students from McMaster University. It was such a regular occurrence that it made them step back and consider opening a store.
“We really saw customers living outside of Toronto coming into our shop pre-COVID. [And] many customers said they came from Hamilton or that they go to McMaster,” Milberry said.
Milberry has loved the International Village’s engagement. She found they have a big social media presence which has featured Sarah & Tom Gift Shop as well. It’s helped with spreading the word of the Hamilton location and bringing in lots of customers. Milberry and her partner hope their business continues to prosper.
The Hamilton location has similar merchandise to the other of the Sarah & Tom Gift Shop locations in Toronto and Montreal. However, one difference that makes the Hamilton location stand out is that it has the greatest stock of K-pop albums across all locations. Milberry and her partner found it is very popular in Hamilton and they are doing their best to match their customer's interests. With artists like Black Pink with a large fanbase coming to Hamilton to perform, the store has noticed hikes in their sales during their concerts.
“We do have about 50% of the store set up just for K-pop in Hamilton and the other shops have a little bit less of that. In Hamilton, we are really pushing the K-pop products,” Milberry said.
“We do have about 50% of the store set up just for K-pop in Hamilton and the other shops have a little bit less of that. In Hamilton, we are really pushing the K-pop products,”
Sarah Milberry, Co-Owner of Sarah & Tom Giftshop
Ultimately, Sarah & Tom Gift Shop has been embraced by the Hamilton community, even before they opened a store here. As they continue to grow in Hamilton, they hope to see more McMaster University students here.
Art Gallery of Hamilton’s new exhibit shows the process behind digitizing art
Art has early origins and continues to be relevant today. It’s important to collect and record art as a way of documenting history. However, what happens when art is documented but not immediately put up for display? They become a part of a collection of pieces hidden from the world.
The Art Gallery of Hamilton aims to address this issue with its Collections Digitization Project which began in Spring 2022 and will conclude in Spring 2024. The project aims to digitize many of the works kept in the vaults at AGH.
Andrea Howard, digitization collections assistant, emphasized that as the AGH is a publicly funded resource, it’s important to provide the public access to pieces which aren’t always on display. Moreover, the project team is prioritizing putting on underrepresented artists, such as Black, Indigenous and Persons of Colour and women artists.
“It is a really necessary project because we have well over 10,000 objects in our collection. The physical space that we have here at the museum means that we can only display 5 per cent of those works at a given time. That means the bulk of our works are in a vault and they're hidden from the public,” said Howard.
“It is a really necessary project because we have well over 10,000 objects in our collection. The physical space that we have here at the museum means that we can only display 5 per cent of those works at a given time. That means the bulk of our works are in a vault and they're hidden from the public."
Andrea Howard, digitization collections assistant
The project is funded by the Museums Assistance Program, specifically the Digital Access to Heritage, which is a program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. The funds were important for hiring people for the project, obtaining necessary licenses and receiving commissions and equipment.
The project has many aspects, one of which is focused on showcasing the process of digitizing art works. This exhibition will begin on Feb. 11, 2023 and will include installations and a behind the scenes look at the digitization process. Howard’s hope is to connect with the general population and show the public how much work goes into digitization.
“A part of this project has become an exhibition, that is going to be launching on [Feb. 11]. That exhibition is in part a digitization lab [and] part installation where we exhibit works and show some kind of hidden digitization labor that occurs in art museums,” said Howard.
“A part of this project has become an exhibition, that is going to be launching on [Feb. 11]. That exhibition is in part a digitization lab [and] part installation where we exhibit works and show some kind of hidden digitization labor that occurs in art museums."
Andrea Howard, digitization collections assistant
Howard believes the Hamilton community will find the exhibit to be engaging. She’s worked closely with the AGH docents, who have shared positive feedback for the exhibit.
One of their more recent programs at AGH called Fridays at Four gives those curious a virtual look at the AGH’s permanent collection. Given the docents extensive knowledge on the collections within the museum, Howard is aware their feedback is vital. They’ve expressed how happy they are to see more pieces being digitalized and how they are being shared with visitors.
“I know from my experience with the docent . . . that they’re really excited about the growing number of images they are seeing and having access to. I know we have been getting a lot of engagement on social media with our images and I’m excited to see where it jumps off from there,” said Howard.
Currently, the AGH is working on three dimensional printing as part of the digitization project. The goal of this is to have art pieces 3D printed as a way to engage visitors in a new way. It will also allow for pieces to be preserved and protected, which is valuable in the storage of artworks.
“Our hope is to not only create 3D renderings that will live online, but also from those 3D renderings have some of our works 3D printed. That’ll be a really great way for the programming department to pass around our objects to feel,” said Howard.
The AGH hopes that people will come together to learn about the complex tools used to preserve artwork. They hope the project itself will be able to highlight work that isn’t always displayed and allow for work to be presented in a new format. The exhibit is one of the first ways in which visitors can see the direct process that goes behind digitizing works.
You do not need to cram in the most important years of your education even though that is what we have been taught to do
Being an undergraduate is one of the most important stages of your educational journey. It is an opportunity for you to work on becoming the best version of yourself, to make yourself a suitable candidate for potential jobs and to build a solid foundation for your future.
In such a large university with so many diverse disciplines, everyone will be walking a different path and encountering different obstacles.
For some students, this may mean that they need to take a couple of extra years beyond the average four years expected to complete their degree.
I notice time and time again that there is a constant stigma around the concept of spreading out your degree. Four years is the norm and anything greater than that means you slacked off in school.
If you are in this position, it is important to remind yourself that there is no timer that is going to go off after the four years has passed. Everyone’s academic journey is completely different in length and time.
Taking more time than the four years is more common than individuals may presume. In 2010, across universities in Canada, around 60 per cent of undergraduate students took more than four years to complete their degree.
In a span of around ten years, most students find themselves making the jump from high school to university and then straight into a job. Though these changes are viewed as mandatory, it can be hard to adapt to them as they are rapid.
When one spends quite a few years immersing themselves in a discipline, one is bound to unveil their true sentiments toward them as they are able to explore every corner and crevice of the degree.
The good thing about taking your time during your undergraduate study is that you can slowly start making the transition to working an actual job (if that is what comes next for you). Students are able to opt to go on a work term or work year to gain experience in their desired field where some may also choose to take a university course alongside it. That way they continue to get a bit of both worlds and do not experience as much of a culture shock as they might when jumping straight into a job.
Another option could be spreading out your workload for a much more manageable school year. Lightening your course load in the fall and winter terms so that you can focus on specific courses can aid with you giving it the best effort you can. Then you can make sure that the courses dropped are available in the spring and summer terms so that your requirements can be fulfilled during those months.
If you plan ahead, and plan well, you may even be able to graduate within four years if that is what you desire, finding what is right for you is all that truly matters. But taking an extra year can also help you come to terms with whether you truly like your major and/or where you should shift your energy to, academic wise.
When one spends quite a few years immersing themselves in a discipline, one is bound to unveil their true sentiments toward them as they are able to explore every corner and crevice of the degree.
It is quite difficult to do something that is seen as "not normal” to societies eyes. This leads us to become distracted by what others may think of us, instead of focusing on what may be best for ourselves and we leading us to not make decisions based on what we truly desire.
It’s important for students to prioritize their mental health and education above others’ opinions. It does not matter how long of a journey it takes for anyone, as long as you get there on your own rate is all that matters. After all, these next few years are especially important.
Find out how you can practice first aid, water rescue and priority assessment with the most inclusive team on campus
The McMaster Lifeguard Team is a competitive athletics club that participates in physical and first aid lifeguarding events against different Ontario universities. Members get to experience a wide variety of aquatic skills with the team, including water rescue, first aid emergency situations, triages, mannequin carrying, and medley and obstacle relays.
Run by club presidents Amirhossein Moghtader and Olivia Viool, the team trains biweekly on Thursday from 8:00PM-10:30PM and Sunday from 12:00PM-2:00PM at the Ivor Wynne Centre pool.
“Our club is unique in the fact that we offer an opportunity to socialize and meet friends and be active while still offering room for studies. . . We’re very welcoming and you can work out while still having time to do the things you need to do in university,” said Viool.
Earlier this year, the club welcomed general members with two “Try-It” meetings to learn about the team and their events and practices. Students were introduced to triages and first aid scenarios, swimming in rescue drills and guarding in teams.
Team practices involve both water and land training, which includes a mixture of first aid training on land and swimming and physical exercises in the pool. The training sets are structured to accommodate those with experience in swimming and the lifesaving sport along with new members who may not have any form of certification.
“We do take time to help new members out on technique and go over having some of our older members help out with flip turns or techniques for strokes. . . I’ll split the setup [of swim sets] to provide longer breaks or less laps that the beginner swimmers could do,” said Viool.
While some lifeguarding organizations require specific certificates such as Bronze Cross, many of the regional competitions that the team attends are open to all skill levels of swimming, water rescue and first aid.
The team has also accepted volunteers to act as victims during past competitions for first aid events. Providing such opportunities of involvement helps contribute to the team’s goal of being as inclusive for students as possible, particularly for those who lack the required certification to take part in some competitions.
“When people become involved with the team, they really enjoy learning the skills themselves.
Even if they can’t compete, they enjoy the process throughout. . . We try our best to have everyone involved,” said Moghtader.
This season, the team arranged a mini intrasquad competition on Oct. 27 as their first contest of the year. On Oct. 30, members took part in an Oktoberfest competition hosted by the lifesaving team at the University of Waterloo, where they ultimately placed third overall for their efforts.
Most recently, the club has participated in the TwoGood Lifeguard Competition on Jan. 8.
In the winter semester, members will get the chance to compete in the Ontario Lifeguard Championships organized by the Lifesaving Society on Feb. 18. The team also hopes to participate in a provincial pool competition taking place in early March and arrange their own competition on Mar. 25.
The McMaster Lifeguard Team can be found on Facebook, Instagram or the McMaster Athletics and Recreation website. Students can also reach out to [email protected] for additional information about the club.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.
Lillian Guy: My name is Lillian Guy. I'm a third year student in justice, political philosophy and law. I'm doing a specialized minor in commerce. To bring this high level philosophy down to earth, I'm also doing a minor in social Problems, social policy and the law to use this abstract philosophy and draw real world connections and implications.
What drove you to pursue all this?
Since high school, I was already mapping what I wanted to do. It really was just a matter of exploring McMaster [University] and finding a program that I thought would keep me interested and excited. Little high school me was very much: "At the end of those four years, I want to go to law school." So, naturally, my program stood out to me. But since being here, it's gotten a lot murkier . . . But I just love learning. I see myself just taking courses for a very long time, as much as that might hurt my wallet. I could definitely be a student forever.
Would you say you're happy with your program choices now?
Yes. It's been good in the sense that I've been able to hone in on my critical thinking, my writing, my reading comprehension and all those skills that are really transferable regardless of the discipline or the field. The pillars of justice and law, I think it's great. For me, the political philosophy aspect of it all is not my cup of tea in the sense that so much of what we talk about is centered on this ideal of what the world should look like when we need to look at what’s currently happening. We can look all we want at what we aspire to but if we never looked at what actually is, we're never going to bridge that gap.
A lot of the problems with academia and these institutions is you're either doing this high level abstract theorizing or you're doing the on-the-ground work but you don't have the background in the theories or the application. I think you can't really do one effectively without the other, especially if we're talking about driving social change. Academia isn’t necessarily built to support that. In terms of [McMaster University] as a whole, there are smaller departments that are driving towards that experiential approach to teaching and learning. We need to figure out how existing students and programs can learn from those innovative departments and personnel and knowledge actors. I think a big component is fusing the new and the old together. Right now, it's unfortunate so much of the onus is on individual people, whether it's students or professors to craft that type of interdisciplinary and on-the-ground approach. But we're working on it.
You’re the Vice President of Administration of MacMUN: McMaster University’s Model United Nations. How do you tie what you're pursuing in university and in life with your involvement with MacMUN?
It all really complements itself really well, both content-specific in terms of the politics of it all and the global approach to issues are reflected in that involvement. More broadly, I'm a type A person — I like to be in control and this relates to my aspirations in maybe the legal field, but also perhaps high level management of an organization or a nonprofit. Managing all the tiny little details that go into MacMUN really complements my academic interests and my personality in which I'm able to put in the effort and see tangible outcomes.
There’s a lot of pieces that have to fall exactly in place for our upcoming conference and it’s really exciting to see all of it coming together. There's definitely something for everyone. When people think about Model UN, they think it's very rigid. For the conference, we want to give people with all sorts of interests a place where they feel like they can succeed and have fun. You don't have to have taken a political science course, you don't have to be a tried and true public speaker. You can just be someone who is interested in what MacMUN is about — and that's bringing people together who envision a brighter world.
Without prompt governmental action, overwhelmed shelters and exhausted support services continue to push houseless Hamiltonians, including students, to the cold winter streets
It’s no news that Hamilton’s houseless population is surging.
For the past few years, headlines have reported and warned of the dramatic growth in the number of unhoused Hamiltonians. Yet, governmental action taken to support these individuals in the face of other critical crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating inflation, has seen little improvement.
For one, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated social inequalities and resulted in an increase in unhoused families and individuals.
Alongside the hardships imposed by the pandemic, Hamilton’s housing crisis has seen no improvements in the past year as renters, like McMaster students, continue to battle sky-high prices.
Currently, rent is so unaffordable that post-secondary students make up a third of the resident population at the Covenant House Toronto shelter. With the unaffordability of housing here in Hamilton, it’s no doubt that students in our communities are facing similar circumstances, putting their well-being and education at stake.
These issues together, compounded by the current financial state of the nation, have made the sheer cost of living for an average Canadian ridiculously unaffordable. In fact, Hamilton is now ranked the third least affordable city in all of North America.
To make matters worse, Hamilton's network of homeless shelters and drop-in locations are overwhelmed as their resources are dwindling whilst the federal government’s half-million dollar Expanded Winter Response Fund has been scrapped this year.
The ongoing threat of COVID-19 and the closure of an isolation centre for COVID-positive houseless individuals is also putting shelter users and employees at risk, amid the shortage of shelter beds and space.
With a limited capacity to support those in need of shelter, this winter brings trepidation and concerns for a rise in the number of frostbite cases, respiratory illness cases, hospitalizations and deaths, as unhoused individuals turn to encampments and the congregate, high-occupancy shelters.
The current housing crisis and rise in inflation have also pushed post-secondary students to the streets.
Research at the homeless hub indicates that an estimated 80,000 post-secondary students across Canada are houseless and this number may be a lot higher with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is a need for the city of Hamilton to communicate its findings and progress in a more equitable manner to all stakeholders including the community members being affected by these decisions and further empower the participation by its residents to help make decisions about development.
Currently, rent is so unaffordable that post-secondary students make up a third of the resident population at the Covenant House Toronto shelter. With the unaffordability of housing here in Hamilton, it’s no doubt that students in our communities are facing similar circumstances, putting their well-being and education at stake.
So far, the city of Hamilton is allocating 125,000 dollars for the operation of drop-in overnight emergency warming centers for unhoused individuals until March 31st. While this will provide relief for several houseless Hamiltonians, it is a short-term band-aid solution.
Despite the city having an overdue 10-year Housing & Homelessness Action Plan since 2004, it’s hard to see any significant actionable change in the community.
Surely, the goals and outcomes listed in their hefty annual report sound good but there is limited evidence available on the city of Hamilton’s website to support their progress.
A case study on Hamilton by the Canadian Human Rights Commission critiqued the city’s response to encampments and revealed a number of human rights issues that needed to be addressed, further indicating that a lot of progress is needed to resolve Hamilton’s housing and houselessness crises.
There is a need for the city of Hamilton to communicate its findings and progress in a more equitable manner to all stakeholders including the community members being affected by these decisions and further empower the participation by its residents to help make decisions about development.
As the houseless population grows, we must recognize that this is a Canada-wide problem that requires federal government input.
For a country that forms alliances with others, lends a global helping hand and warmly welcomes many others to the land of opportunity, it’s disappointing to see critical issues within our nation repeatedly neglected.
This winter, houseless individuals in our community and communities across Canada are paying the price of structural neglect.
Whether it is the limited shelter capacities, heightened risk of freezing to death this winter, or the sheer unaffordability of life, this is not as good as it gets for unhoused Canadians and the governments that have sworn to serve us must step up and do better.
When students start regularly applying for financial aid or awards, it's important to remember being denied is the worst thing that can truly happen
It is now the time of year when many many awards and bursaries have opened up not only on AwardSpring, but outside of the university as well.
With this annual cycle open to all McMaster students, it can seem daunting or pointless to apply to all the scholarships available on your dashboard on AwardSpring.
You may be wondering, why apply to all of these opportunities if you only really qualify for a few at the moment?
But did you know that yearly over 10 million dollars of scholarship money goes unclaimed in Canada solely because students aren’t applying to them?
Students should apply for all scholarships that appear within their dashboard tiles because although they may not seem eligible at the moment, their eligibility for these aids and awards can change as the semester continues.
Students should apply for all scholarships that appear within their dashboard tiles because although they may not seem eligible at the moment, their eligibility for these aids and awards can change as the semester continues
For example, for many scholarships and bursaries, students must obtain a 9.5 seasonal GPA to qualify. However, if your fall semester GPA is below 9.5, that does not necessarily mean you cannot obtain an overall seasonal GPA of 9.5 after the winter semester.
Waiting on your GPA to change at the end of the winter semester can often cause students to forget to apply for these aids and awards in the first place due to the fast pace environment of university.
We get caught up with exams, assignments, and projects leading us to forget about the outstanding items we have waiting on awardspring until it is too late.
We are sent reminders via about applying to these scholarships; however, sometimes, this is not enough to motivate us to apply to these opportunities after a semester-long of academics.
Did you know that yearly over 10 million dollars of scholarship money goes unclaimed in Canada solely because students aren’t applying to them?
If we do remember to complete the application forms, they often can be rushed due to the fast-approaching deadlines at the end of the semester.
Following this cycle causes us to hinder our opportunities due to the passive nature of waiting. Yet, applying for all opportunities at the beginning of the semester, regardless if we qualify at that moment, provides students with a chance to receive financial aid. This is because they are not excluding themselves from the start when the applications are released.
Thus, if a student’s seasonal GPA were to increase to 9.5 at the end of the winter semester, they have already applied for the aid or award with a well-thought-out application.
This acts as a safeguard because applying for these opportunities well in advance, although not qualified at the moment, is placed first. This increases the chances of being qualified for the scholarship because you have already applied for it, decreasing stress closer to the due date.
Although it can seem overwhelming and unreliable to apply for scholarships you may not qualify for, the benefits are unveiled in the long run.
Applying for as many aids and awards as possible increases your chances of obtaining some financial aid through these methods.
There is no harm in applying for everything presented to you; the worst possible outcome is being denied the scholarship or bursary you applied for.
Hamilton Fashion Week and Gala Fashion Show highlight the stylish and trendy side of the city and promote local designers.
From Feb. 12 to 18, Hamilton will be hosting their annual Fashion Week which will end with the Gala Fashion Show on Feb. 18. The events will be hosted at The Music Hall in downtown Hamilton, on Main Street West and tickets can be found on their website.
The purpose of Fashion Week is to promote local Hamiltonian and Canadian designers. The organizers of the event also hope the city and students to recognize and want to support the artists who are revolutionizing fashion in the country.
Ken Biehler, Fashion Week’s executive producer and chairperson, hopes the event will help bring awareness and change the perspective on fashion in Canada, so more people are willing to explore and learn about the industry.
Biehler’s main career is running a real estate photography company, Venture. Prior to being involved with Fashion Week, he had no primary interest in fashion. However, around 10 years ago, Biehler recognized the lack of recognition for this industry in Hamilton and wanted to use his marketing skills to change this.
As a producer of Fashion Week, Biehler describes his job as providing opportunities for people in fashion. Through education, exposure and connections, Biehler uses these key words to try to make Fashion Week reach its fullest potential.
“So what we want to do is make sure that people get value and a really good event where they are going to enjoy themselves,” Biehler said.
The hardest part of the fashion show for Biehler is convincing the audience that fashion is essential to their lives, such as using clothing to make good first impressions or express themselves.
In the past the show has received lots of praise and positive reception.
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to after the event. . .they’re just blown away by how much fun [they’ve had],” Biehler explained.
“Almost everyone I’ve talked to after the event. . .they’re just blown away by how much fun [they’ve had]."
Ken Biehler, Fashion Week’s executive producer and chairperson
Biehler hopes everyone who walks away from the show has a good time with the live entertainment and acknowledges the talent and art the designers have. Biehler encourages the audience to take the time to explore the different options that fashion can offer besides the traditional mall, such as supporting local boutiques.
The university population is a key demographic for Fashion Week because of the interest this generation has in fashion. Biehler explained students are more likely to buy from small businesses and support boutiques, which is why the occasion appeals to the population.
The Fashion Week events and Gala Fashion Show can be a great opportunity for students interested in fashion and clothing to discover more about what Canadian designers have to offer. A fun outing with friends or solo, there are a variety of events to ensure everyone has a chance to enjoy the week and support local artists at the same time.
Local donut business is fostering community while promoting inclusivity with vegan and gluten-free options
Alyssa Lancia, the founder of Darling Donuts, grew up in Stoney Creek. Her family ran a banquet hall and as such, she learned the ins and outs of running a business at an early age. Her interest in business continued as she studied business Human Resources at Western University.
After graduating and beginning to work in HR for a few years, she questioned if this field was what she was truly passionate about. Lancia remembered how she loved to bake and play around with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan recipes during university due to her gluten intolerance.
“I've always had a love and passion for baking and cooking. When I was at Western, I remember. . .there'd be a lot of exams and midterms. I would procrastinate [because] I hated studying. So, I would just start baking random recipes from Pinterest,” said Lancia.
To help reignite her previous passion for baking, she got a mini donut maker and started bringing mini cinnamon sugar donuts to events and birthdays. During the Thanksgiving weekend of 2018, she then also began selling them on local Facebook mom groups . She received a huge, positive response and her business took off from there.
“I realized people like food [and] many things where you don't have to commit to [something] like a big slice of cake or a big donut. You can have a mini bite, not feel guilty and then try a lot of flavors,” said Lancia.
Darling Donuts is currently run in Lancia’s home and makes made-to-order mini customizable donuts. Pre-orders are collected through its website and Lancia recommends customers to pre-order their donuts at least two to four weeks in advance as she only bakes Fridays to Sundays.
Gluten-free and vegan options are also available to ensure everyone in the community can enjoy them.
By catering to customers with various dietary restrictions, Darling Donuts aims to bring together a community of people to enjoy their products. They hope their donuts can satisfy people’s sweets cravings and create special memories with every bite.
“Although we sell a product, we're about bringing people together to enjoy our sweet products [while] enjoy[ing] a lot of flavours and a little bit of sweetness in their life,” said Lancia.
“Although we sell a product, we're about bringing people together to enjoy our sweet products [while] enjoy[ing] a lot of flavours and a little bit of sweetness in their life."
Alyssa Lancia, founder of Darling Donuts
While they have a set menu on their website, they are also open to new, customized flavours for their customers. When they release new flavours, they always include a gluten-free version and a vegan version so more people can enjoy them. Most of their products are also nut-free, though, they are not a nut-free facility and there is the possibility of cross-contamination.
In the future, Lancia hopes to collaborate more with other small businesses. She recently started “Work Nights”, a night where female small business owners can network and have fun once a month.
“It really got us a lot of positive traction to show [that] we're not just about sell, sell, sell, but it's more about what we're doing in the community . . . and it gets people to connect with you,” said Lancia.
More towards the future, Lancia hopes to continue to be able to showcase fun, new, exciting flavours while also working on automating their process to make it more efficient and move their business outside of her house.
