In the kitchen with my mom is a whirlwind of motion. Flour and spice dusts the counter, dirty bowls are stacked on every surface, and recipes are just “suggestions.” We talk about everything under the sun, using this time together to the fullest. Even though baking is chemistry, our ingredients are eyeballed and very questionable, but every time it turns out to be the most delicious abomination. In the kitchen with my dad is precision. We measure out all of our ingredients by weight and put them in bowls just the right size, preparing our mise en place before any actual cooking begins. We pretend we’re in a lab, any small err in the method will throw off the desired result; perfection. Together, we bond through the words that are not said, a dance as we move around the small space, handing off towels and calling “knife behind!” When I taste the product, it is a harmony of flavors, an understanding between me and my dad siphoned into an unforgettable bite. Baking with my parents throughout my childhood has taught me how to work with different people and develop my own process of moving through the world. Within my family, I am the amalgamation of my parents’ chaos and order, a bridge of creativity and organization which results in arguably the most delicious of meals. My favorite thing to bake is lemon meringue pie. Although it's not quite the same type of American classic as an apple pie, the recipe recalls generations of women before me whisking egg and lemon juice in their home kitchens. The lemon tree in my backyard a staple scent of my childhood, lemon meringue pie is the edible manifestation of where I come from. I hope to use my baking skills to bring people together around the table and build connections across our differences. In the future I imagine starting a bakery with a rotating menu based on seasonality and foods from multicultural origins. I wish to create a place where anyone can walk in, smell the baked goods wafting on the air, and think of home. My bakery will be a community hub, employing both innovative techniques and tried and true methods to develop mouthwatering recipes. Flavor is my language, and food is my story. I am brought to the kitchen by the basic need for sustenance, but I leave with a lot more than just a full belly. Baking is how I connect with the people and places that surround me, sharing a love that fuels the soul.