We asked Saudamani Gray to speak on the effects of Covid & food safe practices
“I have taken extra safety precautions by taking COVID-19 food safety training, wearing and providing masks, and requesting customers to wear masks when picking up orders…In order to maintain the excellent quality of my product, I may have to visit several locations to get the items needed to complete orders.”
Q: Speaking of EWF, not the Old School band named “Earth, Wind & Fire”, but the elements, “Earth, Water and Food”, that contain and assist our existence; let’s talk! Which element do you see as having the most influence on helping improve the services that you provide?
A: The movement and the flow of things on earth right now is so questionable due to COVID. I would say that adjusting to and raising performance standards, with the necessary problem-solving skills to help “deal with” or function, until “the world turns” past this pandemic. When we no longer have to think ahead of Covid issues to consider: last minute solutions due to not having certain supplies or ingredients; or fixing the delays with the shipments of products through delivery services. Hopefully, we improve the state of all of these elements so that the world can be seated together again, and share meals and desserts. Tiny Cakes makes adjustments daily to assure safe and flavorful products by any measure necessary.
Q: How does water play a role in your personal life and food service? And, have your eating habits or nutritional ingredient usage changed from the way you did business last year, or since you initially began doing food service?
A: “In addition to consuming water, I use it to sterilize equipment and utensils. Sometimes I use water in my baking products. Water is very significant in my personal life and food service operations. I don’t drink soda or sugary drinks; and fruit drinks are at a minimum. I do drink a lot of tea and mostly water to purify my body. I drink it constantly throughout the day since I work in a hot kitchen. During the quarantine months, my eating habits got a little out of control due to me not being as active as usual. Pre-pandemic, I was out networking with other entrepreneurs, and I walked a lot due to my office location being in Philadelphia’s Center City area. However, I went back to my healthier eating habits because that’s the lifestyle that I promote with my baking and food products.”
Q: What are three elements of your business that you would like to share? And, how do you host events in this climate, where preventative measures must be taken, that often limit business meetings, large gatherings and social interactions that would host food & dessert?
A: Tiny Cakes’ products are made with natural and organic ingredients. We cater to vegan and diabetic clientele, and host an event called “The Date & Bake Experience”. At these events, we teach singles and couples how to make elegant desserts from scratch, so they can practice on their own, at home. Once again, due to Covid, we schedule “individual or limited participant” sessions, where myself, my staff and the clients are required to wear masks and follow all food safety regulations during class. The Wine & Cheese sessions, hosted by Tiny Cakes and sponsored by “The Art Sanctuary”, will hopefully return next spring. Many of our scheduled sessions for this Artistic Development group were cancelled early on this year. This event usually takes place on the 4th Friday of every month. It’s a FREE EVENT and we offer wine and hors d’oeuvres all evening. Tiny Cakes will usually do a food and pastry demonstration as well. We will be glad to get back to touching and exciting large groups of people with good food and exquisite desserts. In the meantime, we are still helping birthday wishes have flavor, and delivering bites of sunshine to anyone who calls for delivery!
