Their previous business venture was a bakery at Leisure Commerce Square in Sunway in 2017.

Speaking to FMT, volunteer and job coach, Pang Hin Yue said they had been entertaining thoughts of expanding since 2019 but the pandemic put the brakes on their plans.

“The bakery in Sunway focuses more on catering and delivery whereas the outlet in Tropicana Gardens Mall has an area for our customers to dine in and enjoy a hot meal and our baked goods,” she said.

Bake with Dignity has 12 employees from 18 to 60 years old who each have different learning disabilities such as dyslexia, down syndrome and autism. Some, meanwhile, are slow learners.

“We don’t require our employees to have prior baking or cooking experience as our volunteers provide them with the training they need,” Pang explained.

Whether you’re craving something savoury or looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, Bake with Dignity has an array of choices to suit even the fussiest of eaters.

Among their crowd favourites is their Nasi Lemak served with the special Bake with Dignity Sambal. The team picked nasi lemak as it is a meal almost every Malaysian enjoys at any time of the day.

Also on the menu are hearty chicken-mushroom pies and cheesy salmon quiches. Vegetarian food is available upon request.

If you love desserts, you’ve come to the right place. Their fudgy chocolate brownies served with vanilla ice cream is a crowd favourite and for good reason.

“When it comes to our brownies everything is made from scratch, including the vanilla ice cream that is made by one of our volunteers,” Pang shared.

The red velvet and Belgian chocolate cupcakes are another must-have. And their variety of homemade cookies and cakes are perfect at tea-time any day of the week. “All our baked goods are made by our staff who have been trained over time,” Pang said.

FMT got the chance to speak to Foustina Kowalaska, who has worked with Bake with Dignity since 2016. Foustina said she has trouble communicating and isn’t fluent in English.

Explaining how it was tough securing a job in the corporate line, she added: “Bake with Dignity has been a great opportunity for me as I am able to work and have even been appointed the manager despite my communication issue.”

In the last year, Bake with Dignity has begun online delivery via the BeepIt app which Foustina manages, ensuring that all daily online orders are fulfilled in a timely manner, something she excels at.

Though it has only been a short time since the opening of their café on Aug 1, the team is excited and hopeful to be able to expand Bake with Dignity even more in the future.

“Opening more outlets would be ideal as we would also be able to provide more opportunities to these adults with learning disabilities,” Pang said.

She also made special mention of all the volunteers and donors who have supported them through the years, saying their services and contributions have been invaluable.

Bake with Dignity Café
Village Market Hall
Tropicana Gardens Mall
2A, Persiaran Surian
Tropicana Indah
47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Business hours: 10am to 10pm (Daily)