VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A local baker is proving that people in small communities can do big things.
Jenna Simmons owns “Jenna’s Bakehouse” on Main St. in Vincennes and is now on her way to being named the “Greatest Baker”.
“My mom back there used to keep me busy in the kitchen whenever I was little. She used to always have me make [cookies] all the time for my brother’s sporting events,” Simmons said.
She said she had never known a time when she didn’t want to be a baker.
“Making different flavors that get people’s attention is so much fun to me and coming in each day and coming up with new things is just, I don’t know I’ve always loved the creative side of it,” Simmons said.
Her passion landed her in culinary school, but she wasn’t sure how practical it would be for her to open her own bakery.
“My teachers said ‘Some of you are going to succeed and some of you are going to find a different career.’ Because it’s not necessarily feasible for everyone to open up a business, it’s a great dream but you never know what could happen,” Simmons said.
She is now on an even bigger journey to hopefully winning the “Greatest Baker” competition.
Simmons has made it into the top 20 so far. If she wins, she will receive $10,000, have her work shared in the “Bake From Scratch” magazine and get an exclusive workshop from former “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro.
“Meeting him would be cool because he is kind of what sparked my interest. He’s the one who kind of got the wheels turning in my mind about doing this,” Simmons said.
‘Hope’ carried her through her 20’s that one day she would open her own bakery, and the same thing carries her through today.
“I always had hope because Vincennes is such a community-centered place where people want to support you and I always had that hope. All in all, if I won, it would just be cool to represent what I’ve worked for all this time. So that’s what would mean a lot to me,” Simmons said.
You can vote for her to be “The Greatest Baker” by clicking here.
You can vote once a day, for free or cast multiple votes per day by donating.
The donations go toward a charity to support families dealing with pediatric cancer.
