jonathan peregrino
The short version
Business Marketing from Indiana University
15 years in sales & marketing in Corporate America: Major consumer products company, small privately owned dog food company and an automotive company
Academy of Pastry & Bakery Arts Philippines
Baking & Pastry Work
Le Supreme - Method Hospitality - Pastry Sous Chef (July 2023-Present)
Oak and Reel - Pastry Chef (Sep 2020-July 2023)
Tapped Coffee & Craft Beverages - Head Baker (Aug 2020-March 2021)
Warda Patisserie - Pastry Assistant (Feb 2020-March 2020)
The long version
My journey to pursuing a career in baking and pastry was not as direct as some. I’ve always had an affinity for food and cooking, which started at a young age. Growing up, I didn’t leave the house much due to athletically-induced asthma. While having plenty of time for TV and video games may seem like a wonderful thing for some, I was often bored and would find myself helping my mom, grandma or other extended family members in the kitchen.
I had a knack for being in the kitchen; baking at home for family quickly led to doing catering for friends throughout high school. This knack led to dreaming of having my own shop one day. Through an entrepreneurship class in high school, I even wrote a business plan for a dream restaurant.
I received my undergraduate degree in Business Marketing at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University-Bloomington. From there I spent 15 years in a variety of sales and marketing roles, from a major consumer products company, to a small privately owned company and then to an automotive company.
Early in my professional career, I had received mentoring about setting goals, not only short term, but also long term. The timeline I had set for myself after college was that by the time I turned 40, the ball would be rolling to transition to a career in the food industry. Throughout my corporate career, I would play in the kitchen and treat my coworkers or those around me with tasty pastries, cakes or desserts.
Most of my food service knowledge was self-acquired, but I knew I wanted to learn more and see if this might be a fulfilling career change. I enrolled for a few classes at the community college, but when the schedule wasn’t conducive to a corporate job, I stepped away. Those classes did kindle a fire inside of me; I knew I wanted to continue to learn and grow.
With the support and encouragement of those around me, and due to stresses from life, I knew I needed to make a change, so in late 2018 I submitted my resignation for my corporate job and signed up for a basic pastry program at the Academy of Bakery and Pastry Arts – Philippines.
There were several reasons I chose a program in the Philippines. First was the program length and cost. This was one of the few basic, short course programs that worked within my budget. Then there was something special about going back to where my parents were raised; an opportunity to experience and immerse myself in my Filipino culture. Lastly, the timing of the program lined up well with my grandmother being there most of my stay, and even overlapping with a vacation my parents had previously planned to the Philippines.
Upon returning to the States in April 2019, my life was completely turned upside down, but I knew that I couldn’t turn back and had to give this dream a solid chance. In 2020 I was selected to compete in Season 7 of the Holiday Baking Championship on the Food Network and the experience helped me to grow as a baker and entrepreneur.
So here I am, following my dream, doing what I can to make and bake tasty treats for anyone and everyone. My Filipino heritage has greatly influenced how I create these days and I’ve enjoyed bringing some of my favorite bakes to the Metro Detroit Area.
Aside from the ‘making and baking’, I also enjoy exploring, eating, and traveling. I’ve also completed 2 Ironman races and enjoy staying physically active.
