29
Voices of RPIA
In Our Community
Bianca de Haan Administrative Associate
Andrea Zhao Trading Assistant
BAKING I’ve loved baking since I was a child, growing up watching my mom bake for the holidays. The kitchen was a hub of excitement in our home. Every Thanksgiving, my mom would make pumpkin chocolate tarts and pecan pie, and every Christmas, she baked gingerbread cookies, shortbread, and my grandma’s traditional Sicilian cookie, cuccidati. After high school, I decided to attend George Brown College’s Baking and Pastry Arts Program, where I completed the two-year Diploma program and finished my studies in France at the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, or ENSP. I worked in fine dining for a few years but soon realized a career as a chef was not the life I wanted. After many years away from the industry, I recently started my own freelance baking company, which has helped me rediscover my love for the pastry arts. Now, I get the best of both worlds: bringing my love for organization to the corporate world through admin work and doing what I love on the weekends, making yummy sweets! My first order was on August 14th, and since then, I haven’t stopped - I am now averaging a cake per week!
BADMINTON Playing badminton became one of my cherished hobbies toward the end of the pandemic when I finally realized I should get more exercise. Unlike other workouts I’ve done before, badminton brings me immense joy and satisfaction. Looking at the videos I took a year ago, I’m glad to see significant improvements in my technique and strategy. Whether it’s outdoors on a sunny day or a quick game indoors, badminton keeps me physically fit, mentally sharp, and emotionally content. After a long day of work, sitting in front of a monitor, playing badminton keeps me physically active and provides a channel for stress relief and a sense of accomplishment with every well-executed shot. The friendly banter during matches, the shared laughter over missed shots, and the post-game chats make it more than just a sport. It’s a social event, a source of joy, and a way to stay connected with friends, colleagues, and a vibrant community of fellow enthusiasts.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker