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Cakes for kicks, and with a kick too

PERSONALISED SERVICE: Su going on her delivery rounds

WONG SU-MENE went to law school, worked a while in a law firm after graduation, but she has always been drawn to baking cakes and her cheesecakes have travelled far and wide among cheesecake connoisseurs. Today, she has taken her step into cyberspace with the launch of her website dedicated to this business, http://www.cakesforkicks.com. She shares her story with Goodbites...

WIDE SELECTION: Some of the chilled cheesecakes that are available.

"I have always been interested in baking, ever since I was just a kid, and I picked up the skill from my mother from the age of nine," said Su, herself the mother of an 18-month-old daughter and who is used to being called by just her middle name.

She had gone from two years working in the legal field to five years in community service, and then to her life-long love of baking since 2004.

"Throughout the years, I have maintained my interest in cooking and baking. It was my hobby to create the best-tasting food, be it cakes, cookies or simple meals. Then when my brothers started a restaurant, I supplied my cheesecakes and brownies to them," she said.

"From that small beginning, demand grew through word-of-mouth and that led to a delivery service and periods when I was baking up to 10 cakes a day."

Even then, coming into this line has allowed Su more time and opportunity to spend at home with her family, who have been supportive of this move.

Last month, Su launched a comprehensive website, www.cakesforkicks.com, for her business. The website provides vital information as well as answers to frequently-asked questions. It also has the warm feel of a personal touch, with photographs of Su with her daughter, so visitors won't find it cold and unattractive.

"The idea for a website was sparked by the realisation that we live in an increasingly internet-savvy world, as my husband when he travels will always keep in touch with what's happening at home through local news sites," said Su.

"Having a website would serve as a useful reference point for who I am and what my business is about. It also helps to cut down precious time on answering questions people will tend to ask."

The website has been called "cakesforkicks" for good reason. As Su explains: "It carries a fun connotation, and also suggests that my cakes have a kick to them!"


Interview with Su

Su has more than 20 varieties of cakes available for order, although her durian and lychee cheesecakes are her bestsellers. The idea for the durian cheesecake came about when Su's sister threw her the challenge of baking with ingredients that are not common.

"I decided to marry the pungent aromas of cheese and durian, and it worked to my delight and that of many customers, who just adore the unique blend."

Her customers now cover a wide demographic spectrum; since the launch of her website, most of her online orders have however come from those who are young and upwardly-mobile professionals, better known as the yuppies.

Orders are normally delivered within 48 hours. Although delivery is restricted mainly within Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, her cakes have been taken by her customers to as far south as Singapore, as far east as East Malaysia and as far north as Hong Kong.

"We use only the best premium ingredients, because I am particular that my cakes are known for their high quality and consistency," said Su, who will only bake with all-natural ingredients like pure butter, real fruits (not puree), imported Philadelphia cheese and Belgian gourmet chocolate.

When asked if there are any plans to go from this current set-up to one that is shop-based, Su replied that there are none in the near future as she does not intend to spend too much time away from her family.

"If I run a shop or a tea-room, I would want to be personally present for my customers, as I would like to interact with them, but that is not a viable option at the moment," she said.

"Even now, however, many of my regular customers have become friends because I do occasionally get to know them when taking their individual requests or when I make the delivery personally. Like recently, I was even invited in by one and got to meet the home pet!"

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