On 30 June 2008, I relocated to Houston, Texas from Singapore to attend a Pastry & Baking Diploma course with Culinary Institute Alain & Marie LeNotre, a French culinary institute which I believe best-fit my needs and will get me to where I want to be some day.
I have a super great hubby and a wonderful family – my dad & mom, my sis & David & 3 lovely children, my bro & Pei San & 3 lovely nieces, and ah gong – who are ever supportive, and whom I will return to in 5 month’s time.
BK & Joys
In my past life, I had a 13 year career in pharmaceutical marketing & sales, with last 4 years focusing on Marketing in Asia Pacific countries. I am hopeful that one day I will have products I call my own to market and to share the goodness with people in Singapore and beyond.
In this journal, I aim to share about my life as a career changer & mature student in Baking & Pastry Arts as well as my life living & venturing in Houston, the recipes I like, the people I come into contact with, words that inspire me, books I read after school and random thoughts. Other than calls and webcam via skype, this will be where I pen my journal to share with my loved ones at home and anyone who visits my journal, as well for myself as a keepsake of my life journey.
I am blessed every day! I am grateful to be able to give and receive. I aim to inspire and nurture people whom I come in contact with to lead a positive & progressive live, with joy and laughter in everyday learning.
Baking Joys In Houston 
hi there,
stumble across your website and decide to drop you a message.
i am from Singapore and in based in Houston now. guess we are kinda in the same boat.
I manage to hook up some Singaporeans here in Houston and had lunch with them last sunday. Will let u know when the next one comes along.
i guess its fair for you to read bout me too.
http://www.garrenqingwei.blogspot.com
Cheers
Garren
Hi Garren, thanks for your note. I have left you a comment on your post about your lunch with fellow Singaporeans. Will meet you and the rest one day! Take care and Savour Houston. Joys
hey i got the mail.
you are quick, in fact i just had dinner with a fellow singaporean at bellaire.
wats yr email?
simjoyous@gmail.com! (without the exclamation mark 😉 )
Heye Joys & BK!!
Wow!! it’s a very pleasant surprise SMS I got from you guys!
You are truly a woman of great ambition! All the way to Houston. TX to learn to be a Pastry Chef? Wow! It’s so exciting to read about your updates and the lil’ bit and pieces of life now for you both.
Do stay in touch and here’s wishing you both gambette in all your endeavors ! I’m definitely looking forward to tasting the pastries when you are back!
Ron ^.^
Hi Joys, very nice blog you have here. I’m gonna start attending the CIAML in 2 weeks and is very nice to have an sneak peek from an insider. I’m also a career changer but I’ll take the evening program because I have to keep working in order to be able to attend to school.
Well keep updating the blog and having fun with the classes. I’ll say hello if I see you at the CIAML.
ciao
Hi Nico, I would love to meet you in school when you come for orientation on the first day. Then I would be in Pastry level 2 with Chef Philippe, and what about you – Pastry level 1 with Chef Sebastien or in cuisine? You will enjoy for sure! Joys
Hi there, I’m gonna take the pastry class, C-2 :3 levels of pastry and baking and 1 level of cuisine.
I’m sure we are gonna meet at some point.
keep posting, thanks
have a nice weekend
nico
Hi, I just stumbled across your blog, love it. I am a mom, and looking at going back to school, and am interested in pastry schools. I have been a stay at home mom for 12 years. I have a passion for baking. I am just starting to look at schools in the houston area. I am a bit nervous about entering back into the “real world”, and wondering if I am to old. Haha… I am not sure what program, or school is right for me. I would love to talk sometime, and find out what your experiences, and opinions are.
Hi Stacey
Old? We do not let that number govern our learning opportunities and our life growth ;p Hmm… when I was at Culinary Institute LeNotre, I was as old as most chefs. I have classmates half my age. And currently I kept in touch with 1 lady who was the one half my age. When we shared stuff, I never felt I should know more coz I am older, we are just peers.
If you are ready to learn sth, open your mind, open your heart, and the opportunity is enormous. Regardless of your background, once you are in class to learn, be a great student. How does age come into play here ;p We are all at different stage of our lives, pretty much thatz it. When it comes to learning, age is no obstacle.
Since you are searching for a baking school, just go ahead, schedule a visit to the culinary institute to see if you like what you see. Ask.
I thoroughly enjoyed Houston, and my experience at Culinary Institute LeNotre. I felt blessed that I got the opportunity to be doing things I never thought I would at my age.
One advice, go with your heart! Once you start questioning yourself, you may remain status quo for a long time to come. Most of my experience were documented in this blog. Some are hilarious of my life in Houston, but it also details my classroom experience, my finals, and my experiences. Please enjoy.
Follow your passion, be Great!
Joys
i happen to stumble upon your blog while i am on PIE10’s website. I am also in Singapore. I am also here to learn how to bake and cook. I am done with my Associate Degree and am currently working in Pennsylvania. I am looking forward to go back to school for a BA. Hope all is well in Houston.
Hi Jin, thanks for your message. I am back in Singapore since Dec 2008. Family commitment comes first and dabble on my passion next ;0
Do you work in F&B now? And you are going back for BA? I got my BA at NUS, worked 13 years then decided to pursue my passion. Good for you!
Wish you all the best. Catch up when you come back Sg.
Got my associate degree in baking and pastry from New England Culinary Institute. I’m working in a Asian fusion restaurant, Nectar. The BA I am interested in pursuing is in Culinary Arts. I got out of SIM in 1996. Went back to school with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1999 and ended up in advertising design until 2007. Learning just doesn’t stop.
Anyway, thanks for your reply. Have a pleasant evening.
Hi Jin, if you have graduated from SIM, and attain your assoc degree … why would you still go for yor BA in cilinary arts, in fact why even the assoc degree? Coz with your education background, a diploma in Culinary Arts suffice for you to learn and get jobs. Are there exempted from modules for the BA since an assoc deg in Baking & Pastry is part of Culinary Arts? …
Are you there for good or coming back sg after?
All the best in your learning 🙂 Take good care.
Joys
the associate degree was due to my interests.
Getting a job isn’t the issue, getting a work visa is the real challenge. if I want to stay in the US to work in the back of the house, the only way is for me to get a BA in Culinary Arts. Anything below a BA, I will be considered as an unskilled labour in the eyes of the US immigration department.
An associate degree takes 2 years and a BA takes 4 years. Holding a associate degree in baking & pastry does exempt me from the first 2 years.
I will be wherever events will carry me. We’ll see.
Hi Jin, if that’s your plan, 2 yr isn’t a long time, Go for it and be your best! Joys
We shall see if I sail through smoothly. Thank you for writing, once again.