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Cristina Nishioka, founder and pastry chef of Beyond Pastry Studio, has always loved working with her hands. Growing up, she had several artistic pursuits – painting, sculpture, and playing musical instruments. It's not a surprise that she would find a career that would allow her to tap into her creativity.
After graduating at the top of her class from a baking program in The Philippines, Cristina worked as a baker for a franchise baking company. She started, as all new bakers do, washing sheet pans and cleaning the kitchen. She worked her way up the company ranks, to becoming the first woman lead baker and a regional manager. As a manager, she was in charge of several stores and dozens of employees. At that time, baking wasn't her only pursuit. While working full-time, Cristina was also a full-time student at the University of The Philippines. She supported herself through her studies and eventually earned a Degree in History
with a Minor in Anthropology.
With her diploma completed, she was at a crossroads. Cristina wondered whether she should continue with her career in the food industry or, given her history degree, change course and pursue an academic or diplomatic career. The decision she made was one that she considers to be one of the most important decisions in her career. Cristina decided to travel the world
to hone her culinary craft.
From Qatar to Singapore, she created baking masterpieces and learned new pastry techniques. In the Middle East, she reveled in learning how to make Lebanese desserts and immersed herself in the language, food, and culture of her new environment. She also shared her knowledge with apprentice bakers.
In Singapore, she served as a pastry chef instructor at one of Singapore's well-known baking schools.
This exchange of ideas is one of Cristina's core values. "I believe that celebrating our talents by sharing them is important," Cristina says. "When we share our gifts, skills, and knowledge, we learn and grow tremendously. And the universe returns
the generosity to us." Eventually, in 2015, Cristina would end up in Hawaii.
In 2019, Cristina debuted Beyond Pastry Studio. At first, the Studio delivered Cristina's baked goods as a pop-up business. Her artisan breads, butters, and cheesecakes were sold online and distributed at Fishcake that supported her dream. Less than three years later, in 2021, the doors opened on the Studio's downtown Honolulu location.
The road to opening Beyond Pastry Studio first physical location was a winding one full of surprises, challenges, and delights. Being a baker wasn't a childhood aspiration but was a dream that was discovered over time.
"Sometimes we mistakenly believe that our story doesn't matter because we often compare it to others. My story has no glitz or glam, but I believe sharing it can be a path to truly owning it," Cristina explains. She added "We seldom hear about an immigrant, a woman, a minority, starting a business in a middle of pandemic. My story is about a vision, about developing our sense of self so we can serve and inspire others. I hope my story will inspire our future generations."
Cristina Nishioka, founder and pastry chef of Beyond Pastry Studio, has always loved working with her hands. Growing up, she had several artistic pursuits – painting, sculpture, and playing musical instruments. It's not a surprise that she would find a career that would allow her to tap into her creativity.
After graduating at the top of her class from a baking program in The Philippines, Cristina worked as a baker for a franchise baking company. She started, as all new bakers do, washing sheet pans and cleaning the kitchen. She worked her way up the company ranks, to becoming the first woman lead baker and a regional manager. As a manager, she was in charge of several stores and dozens of employees. At that time, baking wasn't her only pursuit. While working full-time, Cristina was also a full-time student at the University of The Philippines. She supported herself through her studies and eventually earned a Degree in History
with a Minor in Anthropology.
With her diploma completed, she was at a crossroads. Cristina wondered whether she should continue with her career in the food industry or, given her history degree, change course and pursue an academic or diplomatic career. The decision she made was one that she considers to be one of the most important decisions in her career. Cristina decided to travel the world
to hone her culinary craft.
From Qatar to Singapore, she created baking masterpieces and learned new pastry techniques. In the Middle East, she reveled in learning how to make Lebanese desserts and immersed herself in the language, food, and culture of her new environment. She also shared her knowledge with apprentice bakers.
In Singapore, she served as a pastry chef instructor at one of Singapore's well-known baking schools.
This exchange of ideas is one of Cristina's core values. "I believe that celebrating our talents by sharing them is important," Cristina says. "When we share our gifts, skills, and knowledge, we learn and grow tremendously. And the universe returns
the generosity to us." Eventually, in 2015, Cristina would end up in Hawaii.
In 2019, Cristina debuted Beyond Pastry Studio. At first, the Studio delivered Cristina's baked goods as a pop-up business. Her artisan breads, butters, and cheesecakes were sold online and distributed at Fishcake that supported her dream. Less than three years later, in 2021, the doors opened on the Studio's downtown Honolulu location.
The road to opening Beyond Pastry Studio first physical location was a winding one full of surprises, challenges, and delights. Being a baker wasn't a childhood aspiration but was a dream that was discovered over time.
"Sometimes we mistakenly believe that our story doesn't matter because we often compare it to others. My story has no glitz or glam, but I believe sharing it can be a path to truly owning it," Cristina explains. She added "We seldom hear about an immigrant, a woman, a minority, starting a business in a middle of pandemic. My story is about a vision, about developing our sense of self so we can serve and inspire others. I hope my story will inspire our future generations."
