CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Summer might be in full swing, but one 11-year-old Cheyenne girl is already thinking about her future.
Zyndaia Neal is hosting a neighborhood bake sale to help fund her culinary ambitions. The Daia Sweet Treats Bake Sale will take place July 5–9 from noon to 5 p.m. on 2538 E. 8th St. The list of available dessert items is extensive, ranging from chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies to strawberry cupcakes and banana pudding.
“I like to bake cakes, cookies, puddings and cupcakes,” she said. “I like [baking] because it’s awesome. I like to make treats … I like to be creative.”
Neal is raising money to buy her own pastry chef coat, which can range anywhere from $70 to $100 on Amazon. The coat, which she plans to order in pink with her name printed on it, will help her stand out in the baking world.
Tricia Mcintosh, Neal’s mother, hopes community members will show up to the sale and buy the homemade treats.
“She’s hoping a lot of people come,” Mcintosh said, “mainly so that they can taste her food and see how creative she is for her age.”
Although this will be Neal’s first-ever bake sale, she is already planning out future ones that will feature lower-sugar desserts.
Neal’s interest in baking runs in the family. Growing up, Mcintosh said she also enjoyed cooking different foods for people.
“I grew up in a family household where all we did was cook and bake, especially for holidays and get-togethers,” Mcintosh said. “I’ve been cooking since I was 6 years old; I’ve always had a niche for it.”
A few years ago, when Neal said she wanted to eventually open her own bakery store, the two made an agreement. Mcintosh would enroll in online classes at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Denver to learn more about pastry making. Neal would listen in on the lessons and help her mom complete the hands-on assignments.
Soon, it will be Neal’s turn to be a student. In August, the 11-year-old will attend week-long cooking classes at Little Kitchen Academy in Denver. Some of the bake sale’s proceeds will also go toward funding her tuition.
“She wanted to get her hands into a little bit of everything,” Mcintosh said. “We believe that’s what Little Kitchen Academy offers. We’re willing to drive her there, or wherever she needs to go, to attend classes.”
