Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Travers
Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I first started professionally baking twelve years ago in Madison, Wisconsin at the Underground Food Collective. My husband and I had moved to Madison from Chicago to help open their butcher shop, my husband as head butcher and myself on the retail end. I went to undergrad for music performance and later graduated from luthiery (stringed instrument making) school so I had a pretty varied background but I had never worked in food before. I loved baking growing up and always wanted to learn more. After a few months I moved from retail to pastry and eventually took the head pastry chef position where I oversaw desserts for the restaurant and all production baking for the butcher shop and catering business. Much of my time there was spent on recipe development for plated desserts which gave me a lot of freedom to teach myself new techniques and work seasonally which can be very limiting in Wisconsin.
When I moved to Saint Louis, I took a job managing a local bakery which closed abruptly in December of 2022. I had already had thoughts of starting my own cottage bakery, so I decided to pursue that along with consulting work instead of getting another bakery or restaurant job. I specifically wanted to specialize in cakes because they’re an incredible canvas to showcase seasonality, both in flavor and in decoration. I enjoy gardening and growing cut-flowers in the spring and summer, so getting to combine that hobby with my work is an added bonus for me. One of the best parts of my job is getting to make something tailor-made for the client, something you don’t get to do on an individual basis in restaurant work. In restaurants you have to design your menu to appeal to most people and with cakes you get to create something just for your client.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Transitioning from being employed to being self-employed has taught me a lot about myself and how I work. I’ve always been self-reliant and highly organized in previous jobs, but those skills become even more important when you’re self-employed. You never know if you’re going to have a super slow month or be so busy that you’re working 12 hour days with no break, and when you are busy you really rely on the self-imposed systems of organization as a backbone of your day. There’s no one to pass things off to, and no safety nets other than the ones you create for yourself. I spend more time organizing myself than I do baking.
Visibility is probably my biggest challenge as someone who doesn’t love creating for social media, but in this industry, it’s a must. It can be challenging to learn a new skill set that you don’t really enjoy but is necessary to promote your business.
We’ve been impressed with Oh, to be the Cream Bakery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a one person, cottage bakery based in South City, Saint Louis. I specialize in one-of-a-kind celebration cakes that highlight the ingredients of the season in both flavor and design. I often incorporate home grown florals and organic shapes and movement into my cakes. I love creating unique flavor pairings and designs that make your cake both a delicious dessert and a statement piece for your table.
My menu is always changing but I have some staple options that I keep on the menu year-round. Clients can choose from my seasonal menu or if they have a specific vision or flavor pairing in mind, I always try to accommodate those requests so long as they are in my wheelhouse. As a one-person business I have that latitude to be flexible and create something truly unique for each client.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
For my birthday when I was a kid, my mom would make dirt cake – not really cake at all, but pudding and cookie crumbs piled into a planter decorated with gummy worms to look like garden soil. I’ve been making my nephew’s birthday cake every year since he turned one and this year he requested dirt cake. I loved making my own version of that for him, still kid friendly but everything made from scratch instead of a box.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ohtobethecreambakery.squarespace.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohtobethecreamstl/
