Hello Berlin #5 - Laura Villanueva

From catering to candy couture, Laura Villanueva is the one you want to count on for your sweet tooth fix. She is the lady you dream about when you are searching for the perfect cake or pastry for that special occasion. She was one of the few pastry chefs based in Berlin who has had experience not only with the well-known The Store Kitchen at the Soho House Berlin, but who has also founded has her own successful business, a catering company called Tausendsuend. Her vegan and raw vegan creations have become her specialties and are what she is gaining recognition for. Inspired by her great work and her outstanding, cheerful personality, we grabbed the chance to talk with her. What follows is a truthful talk with a woman on the watch, who combines motherhood, business and that "coolness" of Berlin in just one persona – I’m happy to introduce to you to the fifth round of our series "Hello from Berlin“: 

#1 Who is Laura Villanueva? 
Laura Villanueva is the daughter of two South American immigrants, a hippie by heart, a bubbly person in general, vigorous (sometimes a bit too much), and creative. She is a mother, a daughter, a woman (caring in general, a person with a strong passion for food, an artist, a lover and a fighter. 

#2 You were part of the founding team of Soho Kitchen and now there is Bite Club (one of the first street food markets) and Tausendsuend – how has your work-life developed over the last few years and what does it look like now? 
Well, I was not one of the founders but it is true that I had the responsibility for conception and realization of all things sweet from the very beginning, which was an amazing opportunity and a lot of fun! Tausendsuend and Bite Club were present and functioning. I think that being part of such an amazing and big project like The Store, has had a big impact on the way I am working in general. It gave me a lot more structure, a better focus, a clearer overview of my own priorities in both work and life. I will definitely profit from that experience in the future! 

#3 Out of your past work experiences, which does your heart beat the most for and why? 
I quit my job at The Store at the beginning of this year because I had the feeling I had to focus on my own business and concentrate my energy and my creativity in pushing my own business forward. So that's the plan for this year, makingTausendsuend bigger, stronger and more efficient. That is definitely what my heart is beating for at the moment! 

#4 You call yourself a Pastry Chef and also a Pastry Artist. What is the difference? 
Well, to me it is a difference of working as a chef or as a greater part of a team. For example, at The Store, everyone plays it's part and helps to make the whole system in the kitchen work. A pastry chef can definitely be an artist, for sure, but the profession of a chef implies technical and practical knowledge to make a certain system work. The artistic part starts when a (pastry) chef gets the ability to express himself through his or her work - then you can be creative and let your work-flow, detached from a certain system. 

#5 What do you love most about your job and how did you develop your passion? 
The work of a pastry chef to me is somehow comparable to sculpting an artwork. I love to experiment with textures and I am a very haptic person. An edible artwork is a multi-sensory experience, which I love! It gives me the feeling of reaching people at their innermost. 

#6 Berlin's landscape is full of restaurants, food markets, and caterers. What is your secret to standing out from the crowd?
Stick to what you love, don't float with the trend, be true to yourself, be authentic, tell a story, be good, be better, and give at least a hundred percent. Also, the quality of the ingredients is crucial for the final product which should be an expression of LOVE. 

#7 How do you survive as a woman in this business? 
Phew, I guess I just fell into the pot with the magic potion somewhere...
No, I really think it needs a lot of strength and power to stand as a woman in the food scene, but I am surrounded by many, many amazing, strong, wonderful women that do their best to give this male dominated field a shake up. 

#8 What is the craziest thing you ever baked /created? 
I actually planned to never tell anyone.
A very loyal client of mine, a lovely young lady, who had been ordering cakes from me for quite some time, once requested the Berghain as a cake for her Boyfriends Birthday. It looked odd: I colored the outsides with charcoal and decorated it with withered leaves. It was actually pretty cool, but somehow a bit crazy too. 

#9 Is there anything you have dreamt of doing just once in your career? 
I have always had a pretty strong will to work on my dreams coming true, and I have been pretty lucky in succeeding at that, so I guess not really. 

#10 What would you choose over the other and why: talent or discipline? 
Talent! Discipline you can learn or push yourself to, talent is a gift!

#11 What is the next thing on your list, what should we be looking out for? 
Next year is going to be amazing. I have many things coming up but will announce them when I have everything fixed. There is definitely a lot to look out for! 

#12 The sweetest thing in the world is ... 
My kids and salted caramel!