Biography
The Sweet Chef is a creative, professional and trendy company presenting a full range of
pastry chef services to the retail and wholesale markets. We offer high quality designer cakes,
gourmet cookies and specialty desserts in a relaxed and personal atmosphere.
Our focus is to use all natural, seasonal and local ingredients. We work with suppliers and customers to create the finest products and services available.
When April Qureshi baked her first batch of brownies at age seven, little did she know she was beginning her career and a life-long passion for food.
Nineteen-ninety found April enrolled in the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Vancouver Community College. Her excellence earned her a bursary from the Baking Association of Canada, BC chapter.
Later, while at Quattro on Fourth restaurant in Vancouver, April gained a top-ten placing for her award-winning truffles at the prestigious Quady wine and dessert pairing.
In 1994 April moved on to work with acclaimed chef and premier caterer Lesley Stowe at Lesley Stowe Fine Foods in trendy Kitsilano. April rapidly moved up the ladder during her seven-year period with Stowe, gaining the Head Pastry Chef position before parting on a maternity leave.
Eventually, April and her young family moved to the beautiful harbour town of Gibsons, British Columbia. In the summer of 2006, she opened the popular wholesale and retail bakery The Sweet Chef where she specializes in designer wedding cakes, decadent desserts and gourmet cookies.
April is a Red Seal journeyman baker and offers a baker's apprenticeship program from her bakery in Gibsons.
April's commitment to excellence and use of quality ingredients has garnered a large following of fans.
April has appeared several times on CityTV CityCooks, channel 10, cable 13, with Simi
Sara. Other TV appearances
include a St. Valentine's Day special featuring Hand-rolled Belgium
Chocolate Truffles on Inside Out with Marlene Lowden, Coast Cable's
Channel 11. In early 2008, April was awarded the Sunshine coast Business Award of Distinction "Peter
Thompson Rising Star".
Left: Simi Sara and April Qureshi