Wado Tan Siman on how craving a more tasteful life inspired him to take a shot at something truly sweet.
It is said that cakes bring people together. If someone is sad, they eat cake. When they’re happy, they celebrate with cake. And indeed, inspired by his name, Wadough’s bakery proudly declares this philosophy on its IG: “Bake love, not war.” Many agree. Even celebrities such as Atom Araullo, Ryza Cenon, Eugene Domingo, Macoy Dubs, and others, have helped promote Wado’s cakes ever since he started almost a decade ago.
Ironically, he got his start in the media industry…after leaving it.
“I was working as a tv editor for three years,” shares the charming chef, “I decided that I wanted to do something else that would make me wanna get up every morning.” It was then that he quit his job, trying out baking just to “get my mind off being jobless.” His approach has worked since 2012. “I didn’t see baking as a career until maybe two years down when I started getting big orders and people were calling my passion project an online business.
Wado fondly recalls his entering the industry with a red velvet cupcake. “And to this day, I’m a sucker for proper cakes— classics done right,” he says. And while good carrot cake, sinful chocolate cakes, and irresistible vanilla cakes are his staples, the light-hearted, easy-to-smile chef keeps things fun by accommodating every customers’ whim. “I love playing with flavors and textures, and we’re quite known for that,” he says, his IG strewn with custom confections for his clients, “and I also love infusing alcohol into cakes I make, putting together two things that I love,” he says, chuckling. Having zero culinary background, Wado reveals that making desserts has initially intimidated him. Years of practice and dedication have allowed him to overcome it….as well as a priority towards long-term rewards, over short-term pleasures.
“Exercise is very important to burn all the cake calories from baking and food tasting,” says Wado Siman, who hires a personal trainer to make sure his form and process are in order— just like any good baking session. “I also love long drives. On days that I’m bored, I just watch a movie in the theatre.” Post-pandemic though, he goes the extra mile and tends to drive to the nearest beach and relax. “Speaking of which, the influx of new bakers is a testament to the food industry’ health,” states Chef Wado, excitedly, “it was a hundred times harder to sell online, now everyone’s cooking and selling online.” He observes that the recent pandemic in fact opened opportunities for sharing and collaboration. “I just always tell these aspiring bakers that your cake is only as good as the butter you use.”
With the baking industry on a generally steady rise, albeit with a plateau (“the hype for Korean minimalist cakes is waning”), Chef Wado intends to make his ways into bread. “Surprisingly, the market received our ‘Bread Series’ well,” he says of Wadough’s newly launched offering. “Now we’re hoping to expand in the south to cater to Paranaque, Batangas, Cavite areas.”
It’s a “dough-dream” no one can fault Chef Wado for having, even with Manila on the cusp of a lockdown. He goes back to his childhood advice “If I could talk to my 12-year-old self, I would tell him not to worry too much,” he states, “Everything’s gonna fall exactly where they’re supposed to.” It’s optimism he hopes everyone tastes in every bite of his cakes.
Make your day sweeter and try some of Wado’s sweet treats now. Get in touch through their Instagram and Facebook pages.
—alike.com.ph