Alice Tam used the pandemic to put her passion to work. In addition to her corporate, 9 to 5 job in tech, Tam saw the city’s closure as an opportunity to start her own business. And so, ghost kitchen Soft Dough Co. was born, offering everything from Basque Burnt Cheesecake to fluffy French Madeleines.
Soft Dough Co. quickly became popular among Torontonians, achieving a level of success of which Tam had only dreamed. And so, with the city reopening and warm weather approaching, Tam felt it was time to give Soft Dough Co. a brick-and-mortar space, in the form of a pop-up at Stackt Market.
“Having collaborated with Auntie’s Supply, our neighbour now, and attended a few markets at Stackt, customers were familiar with us in this area,” Tam says. “I love the space we have. It’s cosy and this neighbourhood is so walkable. The vibe comes alive in the spring, which was perfect for our 2-month pop-up.”
The Soft Dough Co. space comes complete with a bright, dine-in space as well as an entire wall dedicated to a Tam-curated BIPOC market, which showcases small businesses from local vendors. It was very important to her to have it, she says, because she understands the plight of the BIPOC small business owner firsthand, though she notes that it wasn’t easy to find vendors with complementary products. And, she put it all together without leaving her tech gig.
“Since I’m balancing a 9-5 corporate job, it’s challenging to make sure the bakery is running smoothly 6 days a week. I usually work early mornings, late nights and weekends,” she says.
So far, Tam has been beyond pleased with the reception Soft Dough Co. is receiving at Stackt. “It’s been incredible chatting with longtime supporters of Soft Dough Co in person and meeting new customers who are trying our desserts for the first time,” she says.
This first pop-up is just the beginning for Soft Dough Co.
“After Stackt, we’ll be at Leslieville Farmer’s Market on a monthly basis, and continuing to pop up throughout the city,” Tam says.