Building A Business From Her C-CAP Roots

Jasmin Smith, owner of Süss Pastries, developed an interest in a culinary career as a young girl through her family’s love of food. Her stepfather’s job as a chef also inspired her.

“My stepdad was working as a chef at the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix and when he brought me to Take Your Daughter to Work Day, I knew it was a career I wanted to pursue,” Smith recalled.

Smith attended a summer culinary program at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale. Her instructor told her about the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which serves middle- and high-school students in Arizona and other areas across the country. C-CAP is a workforce development nonprofit that provides teens a pathway to success through culinary, job and life skills.

Smith participated in C-CAP for three years at Valley Vista High School in Surprise. Through the program, she learned from local chefs, honed culinary skills and techniques and participated in competitions.

“C-CAP gives you a taste of what culinary school is like,” said Smith. “The program provides an incredible opportunity to learn from chefs who have been in the industry for many years and share their expertise and insights.”

Smith was awarded a C-CAP scholarship and graduated with a culinary arts degree from Estrella Mountain Community College. Her first job after graduating was with Santa Barbara Catering, where she learned about business and grew her love of pastry. “Pastry is a challenge because it’s very scientific, but I love it and have been working in pastry for my entire career,” she said. “That first job helped me understand the importance of a good work ethic and paying attention to detail.”

Smith continued to build her pastry and leadership skills at the Hyatt and Andaz resorts in Scottsdale and Chateau Luxe, an event venue in North Phoenix.

“I learned so much at each job, working in different environments with different people,” Smith said. “I learned important skills like time management and planning. I knew I wanted to have my own business and that I could be a good leader.”

Smith opened Süss Pastries in 2018. Süss means “sweet” in German and is an important part of Smith’s love for cooking. “My mom is German, and I spent many summers in Germany immersed in the culture and the food,” she said.

Arizona has also inspired Smith’s pastry creations. “I’ve spent most of my life in Arizona and have come to really appreciate the state’s natural beauty,” she said. “Süss is inspired by my German heritage and my love of Arizona. Those are two important things that have been in my life consistently and Süss brings them together.”

The Süss menu includes cakes, cupcakes, dessert bars and fruit pockets featuring Arizona-inspired flavors. Items can be purchased online, at several local coffee shops, and at the Hatch-It restaurant and Corner on the Market shop in central Phoenix.

Fruit pocket flavors include date brown sugar, blueberry lime and strawberry hibiscus. Other Arizona-inspired menu items include the Desert Sky cupcake with horchata mousse and mesquite tres leches and the AZ s’mores bar with mesquite-chocolate ganache and raspberry-prickly pear jam.

Smith is grateful for her C-CAP experience and continues to be involved by helping with the program’s annual Harvest Moon Feast fundraiser and other events, as well as judging C-CAP competitions like those she herself competed in as a high school student.

“C-CAP helped me build connections. It continues to be a very supportive network and has been a resource throughout my career,” she said. “It helped create the foundation for where I am today and where I hope to grow my business and my culinary career.”

For more information visit www.ccapinc.org and www.susspastries.com.