CO-OP Placement 2025/26 | Creatives Corner Entry
Ever since I was little, I would always see my mom working passionately in the kitchen to create a unique dish that always was a source of comfort, no matter what the food was.
During the pandemic, I never truly understood how special that comfort was, at least not until I found myself in the kitchen at least thrice a week trying to recreate that same comfort in my own special way. Looking back, I feel like recreating that sense of comfort I found in my mother’s cooking was my way of detaching from my problems and stress created by the pandemic, by indulging in the quiet peace that came along with baking.
As time passed, baking had turned into my coping mechanism. On days when school would be too much, or when things felt too out-of-control, I just happened to find myself in the kitchen making a dessert with anything I had on hand. It soon became clear to me that the structure and organization of the recipe brought me comfort; I thought that so long as I followed the recipe, nothing could go wrong; It helped me regain my sense of control when I felt I didn’t have any. The slow and methodical process of measuring ingredients, mixing them in the perfect order, then getting to watch it all slowly come together in the oven felt so comforting to me; it was almost similar to watching my mom make her iconic dishes in the kitchen.
Additionally, baking taught me the art of patience. I feel like patience is often overlooked in the healing journey of one’s mental health, as that was one of the things I overlooked almost constantly. However, I noticed that the whole process of baking mirrors the healing process: starting from scratch and carefully measuring each ingredient with care and intention, mixing all the components together, personalizing the flavours, then finally putting it in the oven for it to be ready to enjoy. This mirrors the idea that healing shouldn’t be rushed; it takes care, time, and consideration, all in a way that is catered to oneself.
One of my favourite aspects of baking is the idea of when a dessert is “ready” can be entirely objective depending on your desired taste or texture. This is similar to how the healing process will never take the same time as it does for other people, as two people’s idea of “ready” is almost never the same. Once I realized this, it helped me understand that I should be patient and open minded with not only other people, but myself. Before baking, I would often push myself to constantly do better, but never let myself catch a break. Similar to how you make bread, I needed to let myself rest in between the process before pushing myself to the extreme.
As I shared my baked goods with others, it helped me realize the deep connection between food and mental health. People weren’t just enjoying the taste, they were finding comfort in the familiarity of the flavours and warmth. Once I realized this, it changed my perspective on food and its extraordinary ability to connect with people. This motivated me to share my desserts with as many people as I could, which led me into making my own business: Minchu’s Munchies. My business soon became my way of creating new connections, and expressing my creativity into making new flavours that my customers would enjoy. Though it wasn’t always successful, the occasional comment about how amazing my desserts made my customers feel was more than enough.
Studio.89 is a reflection of everything I’ve learned about food, as it acts as a unique centrepoint for the community to enjoy food that not only generates real impact, but helps create connections with people. I’m so grateful that I was given the opportunity to use the skills I’ve gained from owning my business to help develop fun and creative drinks that helped contribute to a larger purpose.
I hope hearing about my journey inspired you to try out a new hobby, especially if you’re struggling right now. You never truly know the impact of something as simple as baking until you try it out!!”
Studio.89 | By: Saanvi (AKA Minchu’s Munchies)
