Rising Stars: Meet Katherine Melchiorre

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Melchiorre.

Hi Katherine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Katherine, Kat for short. I am the owner of Kat’s Confections, a home-based bakery located in western Shawnee, KS.

I was born and raised in Kansas City. I always knew I had a passion for baking and creating sugar art! In 2012, I graduated the Art Institute International of Kansas City with an associate’s degree of applied science in baking and pastry. I started as pastry prep/line cook and moved my way up to an Executive Pastry Chef for restaurants and country clubs. I now own and operate Kat’s Confections full-time!

In 2012, I stumbled across the blog of Sweet Sugarbelle and spent hours reading and going down the rabbit hole. When I was ready to finally dive in and try my hand at cookies for the first time, I tried a cookie set with a simple color palette and I knew I was hooked! This began my hoarding of cookie cutters, sprinkles, and food coloring. Little did I know, this activity to pass time would turn into what it has today!

I now make cookies full-time. I have been married for a year and a half to my husband who is a Chef. You better believe I put him to work every now and again! We are in the process of turning our garage into a bakery space to accommodate more orders and streamline production!

My business has grown so much since 2012 and I am so thankful for those people who took a chance on me in the beginning!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While cookies and baking are my creative outlet and I do enjoy making them and being a part of so many special life moments, it is sometimes hard for me to find a good work/life balance. Especially since Kat’s Confections is a home-based bakery, it is hard to turn the switch off and just relax and enjoy time with friends and family. I am working on maintaining a better balance but it is very hard to turn down orders when the calendar is full!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Kat’s Confections, I create everything from custom-decorated sugar cookies and cupcakes to birthday cakes and weddings! My specialty is custom-decorated sugar cookies. People love to order cookies that are customized to match their event with special names or dates on them. I am just dipping my toe in the water of pre-sales and popups for holidays and other events. I am so proud of how far my skills have grown over the past nine years! I used to oversaturate colors and know next to nothing about icing consistency but after thousands of cookies, I’ve learned a lot and honed my skills to what works for me! I still have a lot to learn because art is ever-changing, but it is a fun process and I’m enjoying the ride!

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I LOVE Kansas City! I was born and raised in KC and have always lived in the KC metro. One of my most favorite things about our city is how it has a big small-town feel. It is such a tight-knit community especially once you find your interests and immerse yourself into groups of people with similar interests.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.katsconfectionskc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Kats_Confections33/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatsConfections