[caption id="attachment_1008700" align="alignnone" width="768"] Selena Khan, owner of The Cupcake Faerie. Photo courtesy Selena Khan. -[/caption]
BAVINA SOOKDEO
“A combination of rich and sweet dishes that celebrates fresh ingredients and produce that are currently in season.” This is Selena Khan’s idea of Easter cooking.
Khan is the owner of The Cupcake Faerie, which creates artisan cakes and cupcakes.
The chirpy Khan started cooking at nine, so she has been doing so for over 20 years. At 15, she was already an accomplished baker with a dream of a career in culinary arts and having a café/restaurant.
“Life, of course, had other plans and kept this teenage aspiration in the background,” Khan said. “I, instead, studied Spanish, gender studies and film.”
Her career in cake artistry began in 2015 while she was simultaneously working as a laboratory technician in a biosciences agriculture and food technology department.
Based in Chaguanas, Khan has since been mastering the skills of a self-taught cake artist and has been working full-time as The Cupcake Faerie since 2019.
“Fast-forward a few years later: I revisited my core passion in cooking/recipe development and paired it with my skill set in food photography and videography,” explained Khan.
“My creativity in the photographic, videographic and social media world is driven by my love of cooking/baking and my style showcases a selection of vibrant colours, bold spices and a combination of local and international cultures.
“While I do not possess any formal culinary training, my years of working and experimenting with food has furnished my adeptness in the epicurean domain.”
Living by the motto “Do not create a home for things that do not belong in your space,” Khan loves cooking and working with food (whether preparing a meal or creating digital content) as it unites people, brings cultures together and educates people to nourish themselves and others.
“It is a colourful and tasteful expression of what is meant to sustain the world,” Khan explained. “It is a wholesome craft where I engage and challenge my artistic expressions, not only in a visual setting but also appealing to all senses. Preparing a meal is not only about feeding hunger, but it is also a full sensorial experience in which the intrigue extends beyond visual and taste stimulation. It is an opportunity to see people smile and to bring a satisfying fulfilment that positively impacts their lives.”
For Khan, cooking is synonymous with abstract art that is uniquely cohesive and narrates heartfelt stories.
The Cupcake Faerie is based online. All cakes are delivered to clients.
Retail items, such as masala chai spice blend, are available at Bubble Cupps, Price Plaza and Boba & Brew, San Fernando, and vanilla essences, charcuterie boards, board oils are retailed at Crème Fraîche, Brentwood Mall. Food content creation and recipe development is accessed via e-mail at: selena.khan24@gmail.com or thecupcakefaerie1@gmail.com.
Khan shared her carrot cake with cream cheese frost
