Cookie & Cake: 24-Carat Baked Goods of LA
Photo courtesy of Cookie & Cake
When Seymone Khaleghi graduated from George Washington University with a double major in political science and psychology, the next step logically was to pursue a master’s in clinical psychology at Pepperdine in California. That road took quite a bit of a turn; she enrolled in four different masters programs at USC but found that in each program, something wasn’t right. She wasn’t finding happiness in any of them. During a weekly dinner with her father, meeting at the same Persian restaurant since she was 16 years old, she broke the news that she no longer wanted to pursue a master’s. Her father asked her if she could consider doing for the rest of her life, without any boundaries, what would she do? The answer became clear as day. Baking.
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
When we asked Seymone why baking was so special to her, she told us that it stemmed from her naturally, painfully shy personality. She was the young girl who was always told to speak up for the teacher, she sat in the front of the room so people wouldn’t stare at her when she spoke, and she truly just had the desire to be a wallflower. This trait continued to persist even in grad school when Seymone received feedback that people thought she wasn’t interested in them. They thought that she was stand-offish, stuck up, and didn’t want to be there. In reality, she was just overwhelmed.
Once she received the feedback, she knew exactly what to do. She got into the kitchen and started to bake for everyone. Baking for her was a bridge to see that she wasn’t an ice queen, but a giving, caring person who wanted to provide something that was affectionate for other people. Seymone believes that baking serves as a way to build relationships without forcing them. It’s an active love that people always responded to in the same way throughout her life: with joy and unwavering love. She might never be the best with expressing emotions verbally, but baking provides a conduit that she wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
Photo courtesy of Cookie & Cake
Seymone informed us that baking was never her intention of doing something professionally, it was always a hobby of hers. She never even imagined that it would become something bigger. But, after the dinner with her father, she knew that she had to figure out a way to do it professionally but also didn’t want to rely on the business expertise of her parents. Hannah Skvarla, a client and close friend at Burn60, made this dream come alive. Hannah sat down with her, for three hours, told her absolutely everything she needed to do, and all of the pieces started to fall into place to create Cookie & Cake.
Photo courtesy of Chloe Makhani
First and foremost, Seymone established a few key values that would be essential to the success of Cookie & Cake. Brand identity is especially important now, and she wanted a strong sense of cohesion with everything she was doing. This led her to streamline more of the baked goods she was offering so people could better recognize her brand. The name Cookie & Cake was born due to the fact that she was going to focus on specialty cookies and cakes. In addition to brand identity, Seymone consistently wanted to stay authentic to what she does as it is an extension of who she is and what her company is. For example, if she receives special requests that cater to a certain gluten allergy or a request to decorate her creations, she is honest with her customers and provides a recommendation for those who can do that. She told us that she would “rather be honest than get the business.” Unless it’s her best, she doesn’t want to pass any baked good off that is not 24-carat gold.
In terms of her specialty creations, Seymone has been developing this magic for the last 10 or so years. Upon moving into her first apartment in college, she purchased two beautifully bound recipe books. Over the years, these books have been constantly developed. The books may be a bit battered and have scribble marks all over from what people responded to favorably, what became her favorite, or certain adjustments, but they carry so much importance.
Photo courtesy of Cookie & Cake
We were especially curious about what items on Cookie & Cake menu were the most popular. How do you choose from so many delicious treats? Seymone didn’t miss a beat when responding. The Confetti Cookies are the biggest hit. They are a bit more rich with the addition of heavenly brown sugar and rolled perfectly in rainbow sprinkles. Seymone told us that the sprinkles themselves hold a special place in her heart and actually have quite a hilarious background story. These rainbow sprinkles embody a feeling of childhood and Seymone told us that there is something that feels so young and exciting about them, which is why people get so excited to eat the Confetti Cookies. Get the hashtag trending, #sprinklesmatter.
Photo courtesy of Lauren Lamothe
As for Seymone’s personal favorite, anything she creates that has chocolate. She told us that she “lives and dies for semisweet chocolate.” Her Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie is her ideal choice as it tastes just as rich as a brownie, is coated in powdered sugar that crystallizes in the oven, and has a gooey center. Seymone also told us that if selling her chocolate chip cookie dough and cake batter was legal to sell, she would. Honestly, we would totally buy into it. It’s THAT good.
Baking is an indulgence. When you have something that is satisfying that particular way, you’re less likely to overdo it with other things that are missing the mark. Seymone’s neverending dedication and energy towards baking gain the respect of so many individuals. She is never afraid of hard work and has applied herself to making this dream come true. This hard work shines through Cookie & Cake. Not only has she created the finest treats that are magically delicious but she has created a company that exudes passion.
Photo courtesy of Cookie & Cake
Check out the website and order something special HERE
Stalk the Instagram (and be prepared to drool) HERE