How it all started...
The story…
My earliest memories are being in the kitchen with my grandmother and LOVING to watch and help her. An absolute goddess in the kitchen when it came to baking, I loved the way her delicate hands could move about with ease and the natural talent to turn the most simple ingredients into something extraordinary that brought our entire family together. Whether it was one of her beloved pies moist chocolate cake or a gooey butter tart, it really didn’t matter, her baked goods were always the center of the table. I would sit there watching my whole family laughing and joking, big and busy, enjoying one another’s company all around a home cooked meal and fresh baked goods. I loved that feeling, this is when I realized I want to give people that experience, I want to be like my grandma.
Fast forward twenty years and our family had grown far too big to gather all together and people started to celebrate with their own little family units. Despite this change, I still felt that baked goods and home cooked meals were the center of family time, celebrations and traditions. I told my then boyfriend, now husband, all I want in our first home is a huge harvest table full of food surrounded by kids and “organized chaos” (my favourite kind of chaos).
Fast forward five more years, I am now in my thirties and still feel that for me food is still the glue of social gatherings with family and friends. It is beautiful, tasty and helps us celebrate the good times and comforts us in the bad. I now bake some old favourites and have adopted some new recipes for my own boys. We now have that large harvest table and each night I look at my husband and four kiddos laughing and enjoying home cooked meals and fresh baked goods. Our “organized chaos” isn’t always organized and really, I wouldn’t change it. You see, I have everything I wanted. I became an elementary school teacher and LOVE my job, I bought that harvest table with my very best friend and husband, we built a family and I have that same feeling I had when I was 5 years old watching my grandma and now carrying on those traditions.
You see, I had all but one dream checked off the list…sharing my baking and cooking with the community and making people feel the way I felt being in the kitchen with my grandma and the way I still feel when I eat something prepared with love.
I want to be that person, the person that prepares the meals and treats that taste like grandmas and make you feel the LOVE!
Thank you for all of your support.
With love,
Whitney
Meet the Team
Whitney
Hi, I'm Whitney (middle right), the proud owner of The Blue Door Bakery which opened out of my house just under 4 years ago. I have ALWAYS loved to cook and bake and if you ask my parents, have always been a pretty big fan of eating as well. It’s always hard to describe yourself to a large group of strangers so here goes the nutshell version of me…I care what people think…like too much, but I think that allows me to shape and mold my business to a certain extent so that’s one plus to it. I am all about family. Owning a business means my social circle is small but having all of you to chat to each day is amazing. I love people and animals! I love the outdoors especially camping and kayaking. My staff are as much my world as my family is…they are family. I love kids…I mean I want to throttle my own sometimes but who doesn’t. I loved teaching and didn’t leave because I was unhappy, I just found something that made me MORE HAPPY. I am one big case of squirrel…I like lots going on and thrive in chaos but also need recharge time to sit at my house with a cup of tea and just breathe! I like reading (but totally only listen to audiobooks now). Laughter really is the best medicine and so often you will witness some sarcastic comment or me using humour to cope with life or the busyness of all of this. And lastly, I love this area…Stone Mills. I grew up in Enterprise and my husband is from Moscow and honestly that little teenage moment of “I have to get out of here” lasted about 2 seconds. This is where I wanted to build a family and I was lucky to have found my best friend just down the road to do that with. Our business was meant to be here and you have all been very good to us.
Morgan
This absolute gem of a human being is Morgan. Morgan is my OG, the first staff member of The Blue Door Bakery and Cafe! Morgan was the successful candidate for the student volunteer position and after one week, I asked her to work for me. This girl can bake! And I mean BAKE! I can toss any recipe at her, and find it cooling on the rack, baked to perfection. Morgan is kind and caring, loves to be in the kitchen, loves trying new things and never complains about those repetitive days (unless she has to juice lemons). She has pulled 16 hour days and has popped in when I needed her for a few hours. She is cozy and sweet and funny as hell. She is adored by all and an all around asset to our team. Morgan has been with me through the organization phase, through decorating the physical space, through grocery runs, and more grocery runs, for 5am start ups and 1am finishes, weddings and quiet Saturdays. It doesn’t matter, she is there with that dimpled smile and reliable personality! She is a student athlete and I am already dreading her going back to school. When she isn’t at the bakery she is likely at her family cottage enjoying her time with her beautiful family (honestly you guys, they are the best!). She loves kiddos and mine adore her! I am pretty sure she excels in everything she does. She is artistic (though too humble to share her work) and our business wouldn’t be the same without her! Morg also loves food as much as me, really, she does but her favourite Blue Door Items are the ORIGINAL PEANUT BUTTER BARS or THE MEATBALL SUB!
Jo(anna)
Have you ever heard the saying “the best things come in small packages"? This girl is living proof! Meet Joanna (also known as Jo around these parts). She is baker, cook, server, comments dripping with sarcasm, amazing memory, big old kind heart, and absolute freakin' whirlwind all packed up into an adorable tiny package. Jo and I have known each other for…hang on to your hats folks…over 20 years. We lost touch through the college age era and when she popped back into my life and called to see if I was hiring, it was a no brainer. This girl is a kitchen wiz! We asked the staff if they could pick one Blue Door meal and one dessert what would it be? Jo would pick a dill pickle grilled cheese and she isn’t leaving without coconut cream pie either. Honestly, these are great choices and so was our decision to add her to the team. We love our Jo!
Bianka
She is sweet and sassy and oh so freakin’ funny! She is an absolute sneaky ninja in the kitchen (like turn around and 18 flats of squares are done). She is the mini cheesecake extraordinaire! Meet Bianka, the co-op student that won our hearts! She is always up for anything and a ridiculously hard worker. She makes Jo and I feel old, she keeps us in the loop of what is cool and takes our jokes like a champ. We are so lucky to have this Jill of all trades. She was by my side throughout Reno’s and sooooo much painting (like soooo much) with a smile the whole time. We adore our (insert 1 of like 5 nicknames here) Bianka and know you will too!!Whoops! Forgot to mention Bianka’s staff pics! Her favourite Blue Door meal is the Greek chicken quinoa bowls and she LOVES the bounty brownies as well!
Joe
You have met myself, Bianka, Morgan and Jo(anna) and I couldn’t move forward without introducing Joe (aka big Joe or to Joanna…dish b!t$#). Joe is our oldest son and has been a part of this bakery since the start. Helping me in napanee as a kiddo, to Reno’s and deliveries as a young man. He now loves the people side of the business helping with cooking classes, cash, entertaining the kiddos that walk through the door and constantly bailing all of us out with cleaning and dishes. After his full time job he is often called upon to come and save the day and get us out of there early. When he isn’t there and the dishes are piled high we all yell “JOEEEEEE” in hopes that he can hear us and come save the day!
He is a bright light at the bakery and loved by many! He is constantly joking, sometimes frazzled and loves the girls as much as I do! We are so lucky to have him and shocked he has survived all of us gals. Here’s to slightly fewer hours for Joe but years of contribution to our family business. If you see him around say hi and please know, these shorts are his Reno shorts and have been retired to the garbage can. You. Are. Welcome.
Danika
We are excited to officially introduce Danika, who joined our team 6 weeks ago! You may have seen her smiling face behind the counter serving up your coffee and treats or at your table taking your lunch order. She is already fitting in beautifully with our tight knit crew and bringing a calm presence to our busy days! While she is a little quieter than the rest of our lovely, long-term team, she is quickly becoming part of the Blue Door Family. Be sure to welcome her next time you see her!! Welcome lovely Danika!