Behind the Loaf: Who Am I ? 👩🍳
“From Nigeria to Portugal, with an apron and a love for authentic recipes”
Hi, I’m Makan, a Nigerian living in Portugal with a passion for baking and cooking. For me, baking is more than a hobby; it’s a way to express myself and show love. If I’m happy, I bake. If I’m sad? I bake.
I first learned to bake in 2019 in a small city called Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. At 19, my goal was simple: I wanted to become a mom who could whip up something special for my future children. I fell in love with the process of creating cakes and desserts from scratch.
My journey into business began in 2020, during the COVID lockdown. With uncertainty all around and being broke, I decided to bake and market my creations on my WhatsApp status. At first, I didn’t make a single sale, until one week later, someone reached out, and I made my first sale. From there, I started selling delicious cake slices and the cutest birthday cakes under my first brand, De’lectables.
In 2022, I paused my business during a period of personal transition. But soon after, I launched Dazzle Bite, which eventually evolved into my banana bread business. This idea came from a customer, Ijay, who requested banana bread, something I had never tried myself. My first attempt was… a disaster. I kept adding flour, thinking bread should be hard, not moist. Lesson learned!
With practice, I mastered the perfect, moist banana bread, and soon became a household name in Uyo.
In 2023, I relocated to Portugal. Here, I had to adapt, find new ingredients, and tweak my recipes , all while keeping that authentic Nigerian touch I’m known for. And now, here we are: sharing the joy of my banana bread with you.
I’ve always loved my name. It’s part of my identity, who I am at my core. One day, an Indian Uber driver told me, “Do you know your name means ‘Home,’ a safe place?” Curious, I googled it and discovered that in Malaysia, it also means “to eat.” Funny enough, a friend of mine always called me Malaysian.
I wanted a name that felt safe, personal, and meaningful, a name that captured my dream: to create homemade recipes that feel like a warm hug on a rainy day or a gentle pat on the back when you need it most.
And so, Makan’s Bakehouse was born, a place where every loaf and every slice carries comfort, love, and a little bit of home.