You might know Maha Elsahhar, an Egyptian baker in Singapore, for her bakes that recently went viral on social media.
But beyond the pastries, the 43-year-old has worn many hats over the years.
Before stepping into the kitchen full-time, Maha, who grew up in London, had dabbled in sales, worked as a translator, became a television executive producer, and even pursued competitive boxing.
She now lives in Singapore with her husband and two children after the family relocated here 10 years ago for her husband’s job.
“Each chapter of my life, from sales to translating, television, competitive boxing and now baking, has simply been another adventure and chance to learn and grow,” Maha told AsiaOne in an interview.
“I enjoy the excitement of stepping into something new and discovering where it might lead.”
And her latest adventure? Baking.
Maha’s journey into the craft began 14 years ago, when she decided to bake a birthday cake for her son’s first birthday.
While she’s an expert now, she admitted that she didn’t start out as a talented baker.
“[The cake] was a disaster, it was absolutely awful. He cried. It was scary-looking,” said Maha. “But I was determined to get better.”
Over the years, she continued to practise and hone her skills — focusing on western bakes such as cakes and cupcakes.
“I got pretty good, and friends started to want some cakes for their kids’ parties and so on. So I decided to open a home bakery,” she said.
Maha then started her home-based business in 2022.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQOffm8k5K7/?hl=en
‘Not just pyramids and the Nile’
But what prompted Maha to pivot from selling cakes to traditional Egyptian bakes?
She told us that she wanted to introduce more of the country’s cuisine to Singapore.
“Egypt is well-known for its historical sites, its history and even its people… but our food is phenomenal,” the baker said.
“I wanted to bring that to the community, to Singaporeans, to everyone who is willing to try. Egypt is not just pyramids and the Nile.”
Noting that a lot of Middle Eastern cuisine available in Singapore features shawarma, Maha wanted to show that the region has more food to offer.
