Cherilyn Gottschalk used her many years of experience in the food and beverage industry to establish her own business and carve her own path as a trailblazing South African entrepreneur.
Cherilyn co-owns The Pastryworks Bakery, which has two branches located in the Gqeberha areas of Fernglen and Walmer, South Africa.
The bakeries produce freshly baked artisan style breads and pastries as well as wedding and occasion cakes. The Pastryworks products are also widely available in selected supermarkets in the Eastern Cape.
Besides their delicious artisan breads and pastries, the bakeries are well known for their unique brownies and cheesecakes, slice and bake cookies and bespoke cakes. They have also made a name for themselves when it comes to on-site venue catering and retail distribution.
Romance With a German Chef
Born in Durban, South Africa, Cherilyn moved to Port Elizabeth at the age of 10. After completing her high school education in Gqeberha, she decided to travel abroad in search of better opportunities.
“I enrolled in a few courses for two years, but nothing worked for me, and I decided to travel, which I did for a few years, lived in England for a year, backpacked through Europe, worked in Greece, travelled to Thailand and then after a few years there returned home.
“I worked at Sun City for three years and travelled to Germany and Hong Kong during that time. I worked in food and beverage and met my husband to be whilst working there.
“We then left Sun City and moved to Myanmar for a year and worked in Yangon. Then we were off to India where we stayed for almost five years. We got married during our time in India, where my son Christopher was born.
“We left India and moved to Chicago for a year and then went to Maui in Hawaii, where my youngest son Alex was born. After a year and half, we returned to Port Elizabeth and set up our home here.”
From Cooking School to Bakery
The idea of opening a cooking school created the ideal foundation and conditions for Cherilyn and her business partner to open their first bakery.
“In 2004, we opened a cooking school and we began producing items and supplying the local Spars in Port Elizabeth. When that project took off, we opened our first bakery in Fernglen,” says Cherilyn.
“The food industry, especially in baked goods, has evolved significantly since The Pastryworks began. Customers are more informed, health-conscious, and interested in premium, locally sourced ingredients.
“There has also been a major shift towards convenience and ready-to-bake products like your slice-and-bake cookie dough are in high demand. However, Covid-19 almost ended our business. We had to close down two of our four stores and took it day by day from that moment on,” she reveals.
Giving Back
As a thriving entrepreneur, Cherilyn is proud to have the privilege of giving back to her community through a charity initiative that aims to improve the wellbeing of the less fortunate members of society.
She strongly believes in helping abused and abandoned children achieve their dreams and become valuable members of society as adults. Through The Pastryworks, she collaborates with a local charity organization to make a positive impact in the community.
“The Pastryworks supports The Zanethemba Charity Foundation. We raise money in store for this foundation, which takes care of abused and abandoned children. They have a huge dream to make their haven bigger and we are doing our best to help them buy a bigger property,” Cherilyn says.
‘Never Compromise on Quality’
Looking back, while reflecting on the road ahead, helps Cherilyn take note of the challenges she has faced along the way and give advice to other entrepreneurs eager to achieve their dreams.
“Starting a bakery or food business with limited resources is tough, but it is possible with the right mindset and strategy. Do not try to do everything at once. Focus on a core product that you do exceptionally well. Master that before expanding,” Cherilyn advises.
“Even if you have a limited budget, never compromise on quality. Use the best ingredients you can afford, because word-of-mouth and customer loyalty come from great taste and consistency,” she adds.
One of the most significant lessons she has learned is the importance of adaptability and resilience.
“Understanding what our customers want, such as introducing frozen cookie dough for convenience and hosting experiences like the supper club, is very important.
“A strong business is not built alone. Investing in a skilled and passionate team helps sustain growth. While baking is an art, business success comes from smart decisions, working smart instead of working hard and working on my business instead of only in my business,” Cherilyn says.
