How the Journey Began

Vivian Hajjar, Venezuelan, winner of several international awards, began her gastronomy journey at the tender age of 8. She habitually rounded the kitchen prying into her mom’s chores; preparing lunch, snacks, desserts and especially when baking cookies! This was a magical moment for her, as the captivating smells and mouthwatering flavors, combined with the love of her mother, flourished the little cookie monster she eventually became.

Her mom’s passion for cooking the best meals, rich in flavor and zest, nurtured Vivian’s never-ending quest of reading and practicing new methods and techniques to perfect her beloved cookies. However, it wasn’t until a few years later when she realized how people reacted towards her cookies and how they smiled and complemented her on such delicious treats that she decided to embark on the journey to make the best cookies she could ever muster - all whilst making people grin in delight!

From the beginning she was confident of the taste, and her pursuit for the perfect cookie and daily grind in the kitchen prepared her for the next great move and life-changing event.

Her first Project was to launch a cookie wholesale business.

She was particularly fond of Macarons, but it was a short-lived dream, as the bureaucratic paperwork to get a license was near-impossible. In her never-ending quest for creating and selling desserts, she embarked on a second Project: “Artistic Desserts”. Therefore, in 2012 she undertook classes with the venerable Master Chef Ron Ben Israel. This was another turning point for her vision and the potential in sugar art.

Hard work paid off, and in 2013 she appeared in the “Vitrina” show of Televen, (a national TV channel in Caracas, Venezuela), becoming an instant success with the audience.
Due to the deteriorating situation of the country, in 2016, she immigrated to the United States with the goal of learning new, more elaborate, techniques that combined flavor and style. Settling in a new country is never easy, and in order to adapt to a more demanding market she enrolled in the “Chicago Chocolate Academy; “Petit Gateaux, Tarts & Entrements” with renown Chef Kirsten Tibballs.

A short time after marketing some of her products, she was approached by the prominent franchise “Juan Valdez Café” in the United States, granting her a contract to elaborate pastries for them. Living by a “Continuous Improvement” motto, she studied under Chef Chocolatier Jean Marie, along with other renowned chefs. She has also participated as judge in “Dessert Wars” (2018).

Her artistic cakes and flowers in sugar paste are an emblematic insignia, and after almost three years of hard work, they are deemed as a “piece of art” and tasteful desserts that can surprise the most stringent palates. In 2020, due to covid 19 and the great clousure of most businesses in the United States, Vivian Bakery pivoted her business model towards her lifelong passion of making the best Macarons and cookies.

“I will forever be grateful and I hope to have the opportunity of continuing this story.”