Today we’d like to introduce you to Rana Obeidat.
Rana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey began as a child with Middle Eastern parents that love food and travel. My parents would take us on beautiful and exotic trips around the world. The love of trying new food, cheeses and experiencing cultures. I pursued an education in Interior Design and Fine Arts and worked in my field of study in Dubai as well as Jordan. After a few years, I decided I need to pursue my real passion…food.
I then moved back to the United States and attended culinary school and obtained my degree in Pastry and Culinary Arts. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work for some of the best chefs in what was a male dominating field.
With long hours, hard work and many sacrifices, I moved into aspiring positions. Worked my way up to Sous Chef at a prominent golf club. Later taking on an Executive Pastry Chef, for a large coffee house, where my creativity let loose, and I was able to create desserts bursting with flavor. Other challenges and roles such as Corporate Bakery Trainer for a prominent health food chain. Proud achievement was catering to 5000 people for Hershey’s event at the Georgia Dome and becoming a contestant on Guy’s Grocery Games.
Throughout the past years, there were many hardships and tears. Growth did not come easy. Many times, I wanted to give up, asked myself what I was doing or where I was going with this. Being a woman in what was and still is considered a male dominate field. To prove yourself, you needed to work twice as hard and get paid less. Despite difficulties, each position I took taught me something really important, that I would carry with me. My very first job, I worked at a French Pub, as a prep cook. The owner taught me the importance respecting food and how to not waste any ingredients. He would check the garbage to see how much I threw out.
That got me to think outside the box. How to use up ingredients, creating a delicious dish, before ingredients went bad. Of course, I had to present it to him first. If he liked it, he would say, “On the menu”. He didn’t he would say, “What’s this $hi#…, you trying to kill me and the customers!”
I worked part-time, with his rival, at a wedding venue. He was a French Canadian, and one of the most creative chefs I’ve worked with. He taught me one of the biggest lessons and would forever change how I chose jobs. I asked him a question. I said, ‘When do you know when it’s time to leave a job?” What he said to me would stick with me throughout my career. He said. “The moment you stop learning.” Short and simple, but one of my biggest lessons. It was important to remember why I kept doing what I did. Growth. Yes, money is important, but knowledge is power. I took on unpaid jobs, I would drive to neighboring states to watch cooking shows offered by Executive Chefs. I did what I needed to do to learn as much as I could. I would take on catering jobs, I’ve never done before, and would call on the list of chefs, and friends and ask how, where or who can teach me.
All so I can grow and learn. People would ask me, “where I wanted to be in five years”,…I always thought that was an overrated questions (like, who knows?). All I know is, I am sticking to this, and there is no way I was going down!
I built an impressive resume. A list of powerful chefs as references. Applied to bigger and better jobs. I saw the good, bad and the ugly. When it got ugly, it got real ugly.
Regardless of how tough it got, I needed to remind myself, when it boiled down to it, my love for food went beyond enjoyment. It was life, and you shouldn’t turn your back, or give up on what is real.
This push got me to where I am. So, if you had asked me five years ago where I would be in five years, I would not have said, “Own my own bakery”. Reality is, we don’t know where it is we are going, but when you take the unknown, sometimes it leads you to a dream you didn’t know you had or didn’t think you wanted. I am living this dream. Yes, I am learning every day. I am still growing, and yes. There are different challenges, but they are my challenges.
I believe we all have a story to tell. For me, it is evolving through food. And that love gave me reason enough to keep moving forward.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The number one struggle in this industry would be the unfairness of pay and position in rank. It’s tough to constantly have to prove yourself. I worked as a line cook for two years at a golf club. I had been acting as a sous. When I had expressed my interest in the position, it was constantly dismissed. The whole staff, at the time had even written and signed a petition to upper management to give the position to me. The Executive Chef at the time sat me down and said, “How do I say this in a nice way, this position requires a man that can commit to the grueling hours. You have kids.” Yes, I got the job. After having to defend the fact I could. He knew how hard I worked. That should have been enough. Another position I had was the Executive Pastry Chef to a big coffee house. After a few years, raises were out of the question, and was told by the Execs that I had reached my cap. That was a big blow. The most unfair position and words I’ve heard. Especially I was acting as other positions in the company. As they hired a male equivalent and paid him twice as I was. It was that moment I decide to leave the company.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Sugar n’ Proof is my little bakery, located in Braselton, Ga. When you walk into the bakery you are walking into a representation of me, my palette, and an introduction to the beauty and unique flavors of what this blended world has to offer. Whether it is an American Apple Pie, Middle Eastern Zaatar Brioche Bread, Italian Tiramisu, Spanish Torta De Manzana (Apple Torte) or a French Gateau Basque. When you walk into the bakery you never know what flavors or dessert from around the world you are going to get. So basically, the bakery is an introduction to desserts and flavors of the world.
My customers will never hear the word ‘no’ from me when they ask me to make something for them. I learn more from them as they do from me.
Locally, Brasies (Braselton residence) love scones. Scones are one of those items that are considered a staple in the bakery. They have their following. A major one at that. There will be an array of scones and a variety of flavors daily. Anywhere from simple to the unique flavors. Lavender, Cheddar Apple Pie, Tomato Soup Scone, Coconut Dulce de Leche, Earl Grey, Hibiscus, Baklava Scone, the Elvis Scone with banana bacon and maple. So much more.
Nothing sets me apart from others. There are so many talented bakers. Love what you do, do what you love. From the very start I learned not to compete with others. My only competition is me. I can’t please all palettes that would be impossible. But I try to please all different taste buds.
I mean, every bakery you go to makes a chocolate chip cookie, right? So, to say, “I make the best chocolate chip cookie”, is ridiculous. There are so many delicious cookies everywhere you go. Anyone and everyone can make a cookie. I mean yes, using better ingredients, methods and techniques play a big role. Flavor differs from one person to another.
So, if I love it…I make it. Easy. Which brings me to my millstone…
We always get asked to ship cookies. We tried, and at some point, put that on hold. One morning, as I do many mornings, I posted a video of me breaking into a warm Chocolate Chip Bliss Cookie. The video was me splitting the cookie in half and the oozing chocolate lava to “You are my Sunshine”. That video went viral on Tik Tok, with over 3.2 million views. The demand for those cookies was outrageous, to say the least. Literally overnight. With the help of family, we updated our website and our shipping methods. We now ship nationwide. We have people driving from Midtown and as far as Florida that made a stop to try them. We are now in the process to sell frozen market.
This is an achievement that warms my heart and makes me proud.
What’s next?
My biggest focus is to continue to grow nationwide. I would love to see our cookies in the frozen section in local stores.
Pricing:
- Cookies – $5
- Scones- $3.75
- Pies-$35+
- Cakes-$50+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sugarnproof.com/
- Instagram: @sugarnproof
- Facebook: @sugarnproofbraselton
