I dreamed of rows upon rows of freshly baked cookies, from the classic chocolate chip with chewy centres and crisp, lacy edges, to beautiful linzers with glossy, jammy middles and a dusting of icing sugar. Or even one of the more quirky creations I’ve seen on Instagram, studded with salt and vinegar crisps and caramelised white chocolate.
I imagined people cosying up on plush couches with a plate of cookies in one hand and a steaming mug of milk in the other. Michael Bublé would be crooning in the background (pardon my plebeian taste), punctuated by the delighted “ooh’s” and “aah’s” of cookie connoisseurs savouring their picks of the day.
Lo and behold, what I had envisioned for so long was finally happening as crowds of pastry obsessives swarmed the table before us, laden with all manner of baked goods as the December sunlight streamed in. There were towers of elegant hazelnut shortbreads, piles of savoury parmesan sablés, rows of “beef” wellington palmiers, and mountains of chocolate and crisp cookies, the scene unfolding almost, just almost, like my dream.
The Big Bread Social attracted more than 100 pastry enthusiasts in one day. Photo: Jason Lam
The Christmas Cookie Social at the Kimpton hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui was the second food-centric social I had organised, along with Leo Thom of creative studio crmb, and it only served to solidify the inkling I had harboured my whole life: that food has an uncanny ability to dissolve barriers. Seeing people connecting over a shared love of something delicious is what drives me to plan community events centred on food. A simple cookie recommendation can spark a conversation between strangers, and before long, they’re swapping recipes, sharing stories or even planning their next bake together.
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For years before discovering this drive, I felt lost. Born and raised in Hong Kong, I had been conditioned to find a job and make a living. Working at advertising agencies during the day, helping companies sell products I didn’t care about, left me restless. I didn’t know what my purpose was. I decided I needed to break free from the monotonous cycle that was my life in Hong Kong. So, in late 2023, I packed my life into three suitcases and moved to Vancouver, Canada, a place where I could experience somewhere that felt different – yet not too different – from home.
A year into my big Canadian escape, I still hadn’t found my purpose. But being away from Hong Kong for 13 months helped me see the value of this city. Here, people do cool things, and they do them fast. Realising that I was meant to be home, I moved back.
Rachel Au was inspired to start social events based around a shared love of food. Photo: courtesy Rachel Au
A few months after my return, I took part in a Cake Social event hosted by Denise Lai and Jason Lam, of creative marketing consultancy Obviously Studios. Reminiscent of the Cake Picnic events pioneered by San Francisco Bay Area home baker Elisa Sunga, the Cake Social brought together nearly 100 bakers and gourmands to bond over a shared love for cake. The experience inspired me to host a Bread Social in partnership with Lai and Lam – partly to satisfy my selfish desire of finding the best sourdough in Hong Kong, mostly to build community and spark connection.
