Today we’d like to introduce you to Celia Tate Cook.
Celia Tate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m the youngest of 3 girls in my family, and when one of my sisters was 16, I was 12, she had to go gluten and dairy free due to a sudden onset of food allergies. All of a sudden, finding desserts at restaurants became really hard for her, and grocery store options didn’t taste much better. I’ve always loved baking, so I decided to start baking things that she could have through some simple substitutions. Over time, I made and perfected my own recipes to the point of barely tasting a difference between regular food and gluten and dairy free food. During my freshman year of high school at Independence, I heard of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, a program offered at Franklin High School. I applied, got accepted, and started my sophomore year. During that time, not only was I able to officially establish my business at the age of 16, Tate’s Bakes, but I was able to pitch and win $1,000, go to countless events, and make meaningful relationships with people in the Franklin area. Now, I’m graduating from high school with a successful business and heading to Belmont in the Fall to pursue a Business degree.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road! With food specifically, there are already challenges, especially legal ones. Food licensing, inspections, and business licenses were at first a complicated road, until I discovered the Tennessee Food Freedom Act (Cottage Food Law) that allows me to be exempt from inspections and licensing because food is shelf stable and sold from my home. Moreover, there are additional challenges for me specifically because I’m only a high school kid. Many people try to downplay my accomplishments, or discourage me from success simply because of my age.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Other than business I am a student full time! Over the past 4 years, I have worked incredibly hard taking many honors classes, 9 AP classes, and commuting to a business class at another every day to have a 4.4 GPA. I’ve also been a varsity track athlete for all 4 years as well, I do pole vault, and have consistently been a student athlete for all of high school! This past year, my Senior year, I was able to be one of our school’s first ever female flag runners, which is like a student section leader during football season. What sets me apart from others is my work ethic. In my family, work ethic has always been a core value, and people notice hard work. I’m extremely proud of my high school accomplishments, and I would not have been able to achieve so much without working hard and having a good work ethic that has been instilled in me.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was going to the beach and spending the month of July in Tybee Island, Georgia with my family. My family surfs, so I learned to surf before I could swim, and have grown up traveling with my family to different competitions. It’s definitely been my most favorite memory growing up, and I feel like I have a whole other family there with all of our friends!
Pricing:
- Brownies: $40 per pan, $6 individually
- Cakes: start at $65
- Custom orders: start at $40
- Biscuits and Cinnamon Rolls: $30 per pan/dozen
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @tatesbakes.tn
