Aisha Aznizan, a certified pastry chef, has always loved to bake, but it wasn’t until much later that she realised she was truly at her best in the kitchen. Her trademark — pastries and cakes decorated with mint leaves — is what makes her baked goods unique.
Too pretty to eat
At first glance, desserts from ‘The Cooking Aznizan’ appear to be too pretty to eat. It is the baker’s signature, a unique presentation of pastries and cakes topped with mint leaves.
Aisha Aznizan’s extraordinary baked goods have their own unique identity and draw influence from a bakery she worked at in Melbourne, Australia.
Aisha said that she has travelled to Land Down Under to further her education in Commerce.
“Many people have asked how I started baking, but I am unable to provide an answer because I have always had the passion for it. I only considered going to pastry school after starting university in Melbourne. Back then, I took a lot of short cake decorating classes.”
She also mentioned that she enjoyed baking for the end result. “I like how the final result turned out. My efforts seemed worthwhile as a result of it.”
She has a soft spot in her heart for decorating cakes. Aisha chose to pursue the Diplome in Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu after finishing her degree.
As a therapeutic hobby, Aisha’s adventure into the world of baking continues in a bakery in Melbourne.
“The products sold in the cafe where I used to work were French-inspired, but the decor was English. I loved the way they looked and felt. Therefore, I decided to garnish my baked items with mint leaves. To me, they appear incomplete without them,” said the certified pastry chef.
The start of ‘The Cooking Aznizan’
In 2020, six years after her time in Australia, Aisha returned to her hometown and gradually began selling her baked products to the locals.
She said that several people had commented that her concept looked very mat salleh (western). Nonetheless, she was excited since she had so many different ideas to share.
“I had big dreams. Furthermore, my favourite little cake shop in Melbourne served as a major source of inspiration, but I ultimately chose to stay with online orders.”
While waiting for her commercial kitchen to be ready, she started selling her baked goods under the name ‘The Cooking Aznizan.’
“And now I absolutely love working in it! I also appreciate the freedom that comes with being my own boss in terms of my work schedule and creative direction. Every day, I basically make whatever I feel like making!”
As a baker, Aisha spends endless hours in the kitchen. She remains passionate about it despite the long, exhausting days.
“I I’ve often stayed in my kitchen past midnight. I totally loved it. I enjoy working alone in the kitchen and taking my time to bake and create,” she said.
When asked if the discomfort of standing for extended periods of time in the kitchen affected her, Aisha thought back to her time in Melbourne.
“I used to work shifts at the bakery that lasted about 12 hours straight without breaks. But the hours fly by, and you don’t really feel the hurt until you clock out.”
At ‘The Cooking Aznizan’s’ kitchen in Kuching, Aisha gives gratitude to her assistant Kak Shilla for all the labour she put in.
“She’s a great help. While I bake and add the finishing touches, she handles the packaging and preparation. Working with Kak Shilla, who is deaf, has helped me learn several sign languages that are relevant to being in the kitchen,” said the 28-year-old.
Aisha, who has always enjoyed being in the kitchen, said that she, too, enjoys cooking.
The only difference between the two is that she has to follow measurements when baking.
“Baking is a science. But it’s the same with cooking. When it comes to baking, the goodies are very challenging to make, thus a lot of practise and patience are needed.”
Aisha described herself as an impromptu baker who does things one step at a time. “I decorate and make my bakes as I go. I love how differently they each turn out.”
Aisha regularly shares her culinary creations on Instagram under the handle @thecookingaznizan. Her aesthetic presentation is often too pretty to eat, but after taking a bite, everything is worth it.
