Some of our favorite childhood memories are the ones of us waking up to the smell of the sweet, aromatic stews our mother cooked every Saturday morning. The strong scent of African spices escaped from the brewing pots working away in the kitchen, carefully crawled up the stairs, and snuck under our bedroom doors to cheerfully greet us those Saturday mornings. Our noses would wrinkle with delight as a yawn melted into a silly, giddy grins: we were going to feast.
This type of memory isn't uncommon; I'm sure that many of you love a good, home-cooked meal. Actually, we wouldn't know what kind of person wouldn't. There are some, however, who can't afford to eat any kind of food offered at the dinner table and still feel okay by the end of the meal. For some, avoiding certain foods is a choice. Some of us are serious health nuts or want to be environmentally conscious.
For others, avoiding foods prevents a mild tummy ache, or a serious allergic reaction. Some of us really can't eat certain foods. In such cases, it can be very difficult to find ways to eat foods that you love but will make your whole digestive system go berserk. It can be even more difficult to get the meal you really want to eat from that amazing vegan restaurant or buy a specific gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, ...-free snack from your favorite shop because it's so, so far away and you just don't feel like leaving right now.
For us, the pain and confusion were visceral. While growing up in her teens, Sylvia realized that even smallest morsel of bread or cake would make her too full to eat, feel lethargic, and even become dizzy. She would quickly get very bloated, tired, nauseous, and extremely ill. After Uzo's fateful conversation with a fellow classmate in 2014, she helped discover why Sylvia would always be in so much pain after most meals. We learned that Sylvia had Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that prevents those afflicted from properly absorbing gluten.
Since this discovery, Uzo became even more passionate about finding creative ways to make gluten-free, plant-based, and allergy-friendly meals and desserts that just about anyone can eat. What began as Chipper & Cheeky founder Uzo's passion project to create deliciously inclusive desserts has blossomed into a bakery, co-run by two sisters on a journey to expand their mission to create progressive, delicious, and inclusive dessert experiences for friends and family in our greater community.
We are overjoyed that we have been able to bring happiness and joy to our customers facing similar challenges around the dinner table. We are so thrilled to make sure everyone can experience sweet pleasures and create memories with those they love with food they love. We strive to bring compassion, patience, and understanding to each unique customer experience.
Chipper & Cheeky is on a sweet mission to create a unique, pain-free, and inclusive dessert experience, one delicious gluten-free bite at a time. Join us on our ever-expanding journey to create innovative ways of making creative, delicious gluten-free friendly food that doesn't have that "healthy taste" (you know what we mean by that, and kudos to you if you don't).
