From the Kitchen with Love

Melting the hearts in her community, Jimena Maldonado bakes her way to college.

By Veida Dima

Photo by Amber Shumake

There is a healing art to baking. The smell of home. Family traditions. Making memories. Baking means different things to different people, but to high school senior Jimena Maldonado, baking means so much more. Her baking represents survival, honor and smiling — sprinkled with joy.

In 2020, she endured the death of her father due to COVID-19. She then witnessed her mother struggling to keep up with bills soon after and decided to help the best she could — through chocolate-covered strawberries.

“At first, I would just post [order requests] on my social media, and then my family members would buy from me,” Jimena says. After receiving ample positive feedback about her pastries, she launched her official website and social media account for N&J Pastries.

Her pastry business has blossomed since then and now offers more than chocolate-covered strawberries. Jimena has perfected cake pops, hot chocolate bombs and her top seller, the churro cheesecake.

Jimena credits her father as the one who encouraged her to try new dishes. Many creations didn’t turn out great, but she extracted a lesson each time, slowly perfecting her craft.

She dreams of owning a store-front bakery in Fort Worth after graduating college with a degree in business and a minor in culinary arts. Jimena’s entrepreneurial spirit originated as a child when she sold candies on a side table of her aunt’s food truck.

She moved one step closer to her dream when she found out she was accepted to Texas Christian University. Now she waits until February 2023 to find out if she will be selected as a TCU Community Scholar or receive a scholarship as a Girls Inc. National Scholar semi-finalist.

Jimena volunteers with Girls Inc. of Fort Worth, a community program where girls can find empowerment, mentorship and education in a safe environment, a place where she participated as a girl growing up. As a volunteer, she brings her popular baked goods to events. She also spends many hours volunteering with more community outreach programs throughout Fort Worth.

Jimena also lends a hand to educators by helping them stock up on supplies. She reaches out to her cousin, a teacher, to connect her with anyone who might need her help.

Jimena balances her business and schoolwork with sports as a power-lifting and cross-country athlete at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School and works part time as a waitress. But, just like her father, she pushes through because she knows it is worth it.

“Every time I volunteer, everyone has a smile on their face,” Jimena says. “I feel like I have made someone have a big smile. I personally love smiling, so if others have a smile, I feel like I’ve made them happy.”

Jimena’s dreams of owning her own bakery and attending TCU became obtainable through the influence of her parent’s perseverance and hard work. They raised her to be strong and resilient, bouncing back from any obstacle. Jimena learned to work through the stress and tackle her problems directly and stay focused on a solution.

“I just want to make them proud,” she says. “Hopefully, I do.”

With so much accomplished in her life so far, Jimena has established a solid foundation for herself, and her future is one to watch.

Instagram: @nandjpastries