Inspiring Conversations with Karina De Almeida of Chetzels Bakehouse

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karina De Almeida

Hi Karina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Karina’s story begins far beyond the borders of Tennessee. She grew up in Ecuador and had family in Portugal, so she was a world traveler from the beginning–and was curious about everything in the kitchen since childhood. Her passion for food only grew over the years as she traveled, worked and studied all around the world, picking up traditional recipes and local secrets from every place she visited. She eventually enrolled at the prestigious French Culinary Institute in NYC, where she got formal training to bring it all together.

When motherhood introduced her to the dietary challenges of her children—who had various food allergies and intolerances—Karina needed to create gluten-free foods that met their nutritional requirements and were bursting with flavor. The difficulties of single motherhood and financial burdens made Karina’s path difficult, but she took refuge and found resolve in creating unique, world class gluten-free food with her own personal spin.

Her journey from home kitchen to Chetzels Bakehouse was fueled by a desire to bring her creative international fusions to a wider audience without compromising quality. She is a firm believer in using only the best organic ingredients—no preservatives, no GMOs, no seed or hydrogenated oils, and absolutely nothing artificial. This is not your typical bakery.

Karina’s Tasty Good Eats brand (sold at farmers markets) racked up 12 prestigious awards in Connecticut, competing head-to-head with traditional gluten-filled offerings. These accolades are a testament to the gourmet quality of her baked goods, which are consistently praised for being indistinguishable from their gluten counterparts.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Financial hardship, as a single Mom, has been the driver to figure out what to do to put a roof over our heads and how to feed my children who had expensive dietary and other challenging needs when the country’s economy was at its worse and a job in the career I studied and had worked at was not an option as a source for income.

We lived in Fairfield, Connecticut, where I had my business at farmers markets for five years and it was hard making it all happen, but I did! Then I packed our things into a 26′ truck and attached my car to the back of it and drove us down to Franklin, TN, to start from scratch with literally no customers, no markets, no income. I somehow made it happen and it has not been easy at all.

Everything I have gotten from my business has been put into Chetzels Bakehouse plus a huge loan. Signing the lease for the storefront, something I have always struggled with since I have not had a pay stub to get any lease, was a miracle for someone like me with no assets. Then dealing with city codes and zoning requirements took over six months to finally start building while eating away my funds with rent. I tried getting investment or funding from private parties, but nothing was panning out.

I sure needed and had to get a loan, but how? A true miracle and the faith and belief my bank’s broker, soccer coach to one of my children, had in my business idea and ability to grow it. Again, I have no assets and the amount lent for collateral loans, an answer to my conundrum, had just been cut in half so I had to work with what was available. I had to make it happen no matter what.

Meanwhile, everything racked up in cost and my saved up money lost its value too. I faced every single hurdle one can imagine as usual including construction always got delayed to the point that I was totally broke.

I finally got a couple of team members helping me prepare food to stock up for the opening and stumbling but with conviction, I opened on October 10th, 2024. I still cannot afford the hefty fee from the Chamber of Commerce to advertise a Grand Opening ribbon cutting event as I had planned, but people love my food and the word is spreading.

I am exhausted but thankful for every day I get to be at Chetzels Bakehouse making food with lots of love–it takes lots of love to make the food I make!

For 11 years, I worked countless hours and many, many, sleepless nights making food to sell at farmers markets while also tending to all the needs my children had. It has never been easy, but I was and still am happy making food seeing that my food makes so many people happy.

One of the biggest rewards from making everything gluten free has been that my kids were growing up healthy, fully nourished with no health deficiencies and we got to spend most of our days together while I cooked from home–as cottage kitchen business.

The second biggest reward is, still to this day, receiving a warm hug and kind words of gratitude from my customers from which many have become dear friends and others for whom I have become their corner BAKERTENDER! My customers come to me with not only their dietary challenges, but their life challenges and blessings. I have very close relationships with the majority of the people who come to enjoy a treat or a meal from my hands. I have always felt the love from my friends at the farmers markets as I call all the people who buy from me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Chetzels Bakehouse: Where Gluten-Free Meets Global Flair
Tucked in Franklin’s bustling Cool Springs area, Chetzels Bakehouse is redefining the gluten-free experience. At the helm is Karina, a seasoned recipe developer, culinary globetrotter, and passionate foodie who has been crafting innovative, healthy baked goods for over a decade. Her creations, sold at the farmers market in Franklin, as well as in Connecticut’s demanding Fairfield County—New York metro area, combine the richness of global flavors with the promise of high-quality, gluten-free ingredients that are both nutritious and indulgent.

The Star of the Show: Chetzels
But what really sets Chetzels apart? The Chetzels themselves—Karina’s flagship creation. These cheesy flatbreads come in 33 rotating flavors, and they are a revelation for gluten-free eaters. Think “Zorba the Greek,” “French Onion Soup” (an award-winner!), “Philly Cheesesteak,” and “Smoked Goat,” just to name a few of the 33 flavors she has created so far. Each Chetzel is crafted from high-quality cheeses and a carefully curated blend of grain-free ingredients that give each one its distinctive flavor.

Chetzels cater to various dietary preferences, with seven varieties made with sheep or goat cheeses (cow-dairy free), 26 vegetarian options, and 7 meat lovers’ choices. Whether you are lactose intolerant, following a grain-free lifestyle, or just a fan of cheesy goodness, there is a Chetzel for you, with even more dietary options coming.

Piggy Wiggys, Empanaditas, and More!
Karina’s inventive spirit shines through in every dish, from Piggy Wiggys (gluten-free beef hot dogs wrapped in three different grain free doughs, one entirely cow-dairy free) to Empanaditas—mini half-moon patties filled with everything from Jamaican Jerk Chicken (smothered in Karina’s own chili marmalade) to keto-friendly Mushroom Empanaditas (another award winner!).

Looking for something bite-sized? Cheezzy Bites, Cheezzy Twists, and Rosquinhas (small treats stuffed with made-from-scratch fruit marmalades, or Manjar–Karina’s dulce de leche–or chocolate) are perfect for snacking or catering events. The larger, heartier Empanadas made with a fresh plantain dough, which is completely grain-free, is perfect when you want something more substantive. With 14 unique fillings to choose from—ranging from Whole30 and Paleo to Vegan and Dairy-Free—these empanadas are friendly to virtually every dietary need.

Sweets and savories alike are a delight, from pastry dough fruit or chocolate filled mini Empanadas, to French Tarts, to Muffins or Cookies, to fruit filled Cakes which showcase her passion for fusing flavors from different cultures. If savory is what tickles your tongue, her versions of mock Pumpernickel (one more award winner!), Focaccia, Pizza doughs or Brioche are just the beginning of the breads she makes to create stuffed individual meals.

Somewhat surprisingly, more than half of Karina’s customers have no dietary restrictions, yet faithfully continue to eat her versions of comfort foods from different parts of the world, like Ravazzate from Sicily, Morning Buns from the USA, Chelsea Buns from the UK, Khachapuris from Georgia, Babkas or her bread version of Shakshuka from the Middle East.

Baking Beyond Boundaries
The secret to her success is Karina’s ability to blend flavors from all corners of the globe. She has developed a menu that defies the typical boundaries of nationality and tradition.

This global perspective extends beyond Karina herself—the team at Chetzels Bakehouse is as diverse as the dishes they create. With team members from all over the world, each brings their own expertise and cultural knowledge to the table, adding even more depth to the bakery’s already vibrant offerings.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Every time someone feels happy eating the foods I prepare with so much care, I feel happy and accomplished. At the end of the day, if my friends that come to Chetzels Bakehouse are constantly coming back for more food and express their satisfaction with my food, I feel fantastic…. Tears in my eyes are a daily occurrence when serving others my food. Their happiness and satisfaction is my key motivation!

It is not easy to have financial struggles and the day that Chetzels Bakehouse is financially ahead to the point I can continue my plans for growth of which I have a couple, I will feel relieved and not stressed financially, a welcomed feeling after so many years of experiencing financial stress.

However, when my days are slow-which happen because of the weather or some holiday, I feel down… I love making people happy, as in they feel it is safe to eat the foods I prepare because their health is my primary concern so they can eat great food that won’t hurt them.

This is so motivating that I get into this creative mode that immediately my brain starts thinking of the next thing I can prepare to please someone who has a hard time eating food from any place out there. I find myself saying: a food challenge? OK, let me see what I can come up with to help you out.

So I guess I feel successful when others are pleased with the foods I prepare. There is no replacing those kind words and warm hugs I get on a daily basis.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChetzelsBakehouse
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/ChetzelPretzels
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chetzels-bakehouse-brentwood