Barbadian entrepreneur Danielle Lea is a perfectionist.

When she was a teenager, she set her sights on becoming a pastry chef, and since then, Danielle has focused all her time and efforts on excelling in her craft. Practical training at Michelin-starred fine dining and five-star establishments have also honed and enhanced her skills.

In 2018, after studying and working abroad, Danielle returned to Barbados and launched an artisan luxury dessert and chocolate company called Sweet Nectar. The business has already established a reputation for excellence.

Yello chatted with Danielle about her career so far and her ambitious plans to grow Sweet Nectar into an international brand.

Describe yourself using three words

Caring, honest and creative.

Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in St Philip with my parents and older sister. I attended the Charles F. Broome Memorial School then Deighton Griffith Secondary School.

How / when did you develop a love for cooking? 

My love for culinary and pastry arts was sparked by Home Economics in secondary school which I was introduced to in third form and chose as my CXC option.

My teacher was Ms Lowe, and she was brilliant. I enjoyed her classes so much. Initially, I have to be honest, I wasn’t very good, but my passion and drive meant that eventually I started to excel, and it grew from there.

My mum has also always been avid in the kitchen and would create lots of local dishes. I remember watching her as she mixed cake batter and made sweet bread. She also influenced my culinary journey when I was growing up.

Did you always know you wanted to make a career out of food?       

Actually, I wanted to be a veterinarian because from a young age I had a love and passion for animals. Then, at about aged 14, my love for food became greater, so I pursued that as a career and haven’t looked back. 

What and where did you study? 

I attended the Barbados Community College Hospitality Institute, where I obtained an associate degree in Culinary Arts.

In 2012, I enrolled at the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, where I studied for my bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management with a concentration in Baking & Pastry Arts.

I was on the Dean’s List every semester throughout my studies and was inducted into the Eta Sigma Delta International Honours Society for Hospitality Management. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from university in 2015.

How has your career been shaped and influenced since then? 

Since my humble beginnings, I have been afforded numerous opportunities to travel, work and study.

While at university I was given the opportunity to train for three months under Michelin-starred chef Rolf Straubinger at a five-star hotel called Burg Staufeneck in Salach, Germany. I went in the winter, so it was my first time experiencing that level of cold and it was a big culture shock, but the experience was lovely. I learnt a lot about discipline and different methods of cooking and techniques.

When I finished my degree, I did an Optional Practical Training programme for a year at a three Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in New York called Eleven Madison Park (EMP).

The flow of the kitchen, the team, and the level of service at EMP are immaculate. There are approximately 100-150 chefs at the company, and everyone has a role to play, so I had to learn about how to work within a team.

The work was hard, and sometimes we did 12 or even 18-hour shifts. It was also intense because, with fine dining, everything has to be immaculate and perfect. I think that has influenced me, even now, because I push for everything we create at Sweet Nectar to be perfect every single time.

Why / when / how did you start your business Sweet Nectar? 

Sweet Nectar was established in 2018. The idea was to create an artisan luxury dessert and chocolate company in Barbados.

We wanted to start something that was different and unique to the island, so we created our own signature identity and style, which speaks to the high level of work that we put in.

When you get a Sweet Nectar cake, you’ll know it’s one of our products, even without cutting it, or any labels or tags, because of the quality.

How has the business been evolving? 

Sweet Nectar has been on a constant path of growth and success. We now have clients across the island, and within the last year, we’ve completed quite a few corporate orders.

We’ve worked with the Hilton Resort, the BTMI (Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.) and private villas.

Soon, we hope to be able to enter the international market and really elevate our brand, products, and services.

What products do you offer? 

We offer an array of luxury items which include, but are not limited to, gourmet celebration cakes, chocolate bonbons, candy bars, French macarons, gourmet marshmallows, chocolate covered pretzels, vanilla bean extract, handcrafted granola, etc.

I’m also a chocolatier, so I create chocolate showpieces, and I work with sugar, producing items such as sugar bowls filled with goodies.

Who are your clients? How do they find you? 

We have a wide range of clientele from individuals to corporate. Most of our clients find us via social media or through recommendations from repeat customers.

What is the unique selling point for Sweet Nectar? 

At Sweet Nectar, we pride ourselves on making everything in our studio. Nothing is store-bought. Our cakes are made from scratch; our fillings, ganache, frostings and cake decor are all made by us. 

I believe strongly that everything should be made in house. I think that separates us from the competition.

What do you love about being a pastry chef? 

Honestly, I love my job. It allows me to express my creativity through food art. I love being able to create recipes from scratch.

What are your favourite ingredients to work with? 

I love working with local fruits and local flavour profiles to create new and exciting items to add to our menu selection. For example, for our Christmas bonbon collection, I created a ganache (chocolate filling) that would mimic the taste of our local great cake.

Where do you get inspiration from for your desserts? 

I pull inspiration from various places. It could be something as simple as a flavour combination that I’ve tasted, or flavours that I know will complement each other.

When you are a professional chef, your palette grows with experience. I use my experience when it comes to developing flavour profiles for desserts and confectioneries.

Who are the chefs / bakers / entrepreneurs you admire? 

They are many local chefs, bakers, and entrepreneurs that I admire. These include, but are not limited to, Ruby Rose Cakes, LoveLeeCakes, Keto Kreations, Withlovecakery, Annalise Cakes, Simply Sweet Patisserie, Cultured by Zhané, Afro Disiak, Suga Apple Swim, Nature’s Oils and Handmade by Kae.

What are your plans for Sweet Nectar over the next 12-18 months? 

We want to keep Sweet Nectar on a steady path of growth and success. We have an array of new products that will debut over the next few months

We’re also hoping to export our chocolates and sell them overseas because we do get requests from clients in Canada and elsewhere who see our products on Instagram. One day I’d love for us to have a storefront overseas and in Barbados.

What do you love about Barbados? 

After travelling to various parts of the world, one thing I can say for certain is that I love our people. Our hospitality is second to none, and that’s what I love and admire most about Barbados.

Where do you go to eat on the island? 

My top picks for dining out include Bliss Cafe, Champers Restaurant, Salt Cafe, Sea Shed and Cafe 195 & Bistro.

What advice do you have for aspiring Caribbean chefs? 

Travel often and try to attain some form of international experience or exposure.

Going to a foreign country can be intimidating because you have to make friends and adjust to a different culture and setting, but it definitely changes you as an individual, opens your eyes, and you grow so much professionally.

Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone because staying there may be the very thing holding you back. You really don’t know what you’re capable of doing until you are put into a situation where the only person you can count on is yourself.

What is your philosophy / motto in life? 

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” – Nelson Mandela.

You can find Sweet Nectar on Facebook and Instagram or email Danielle and her team – [email protected]