Michelle Green and the Three Sweeties

Who is behind Three Sweeties? How did it all start?
Three Sweeties is owned by me, Michelle Green. I started when I was a teenager, decorating cakes as a hobby. I was about 15 when I made the very first one, for my older sister's wedding shower. It was 2 heart-shaped cakes stacked, with a lot of red gel icing I bought at the supermarket! Sadly there are no photos of that cake, but I can clearly remember my hands shaking as I piped the border on there. It probably looked terrible, but it was a labour of love and started a life-long affair with making sweet, beautiful art.

What has changed since then?
I've come a long way with my decorating skills! I no longer shake when I pipe and I'm now a qualified pastry chef who now knows when and how to use red gel icing. Three Sweeties was originally a hobby business, which I did in the hours between working full-time as a chef and being a mother and wife. As time has gone on, I've left the chef work behind and now work full time from commercial premises, employ other chefs to help with the decorating and baking, and love every minute of what I do. I truly think I have the best job in the world.

Who are the other two sweeties?
Many people ask me this question assuming that it's me and 2 other people who started the business. The actual three sweeties are my triplet children – Alexis, Julian and Claire (view photo). From the beginning they were my inspiration – I wanted to be an example for them as a successful, capable working mother. I started Three Sweeties when they were just born and these days they love to tell people, "my mummy makes amazing cakes!" I've even had mothers approach me in the school yard to ask for a business card because my kids were talking up the work I do.

Michelle Green at Three Sweeties' kitchen (photo by Ainslie Fraser)

Do your kids get the best cakes?
They have amazing birthday cakes, they each get their own, and each year their requests get more demanding. I have yet to master the "standing 3D ballerina teddy bear spinning and doing a pirouette" my daughter asked for, but I'm sure I'll get there. Heaven help me when it comes to their weddings!

Why did you decide to create the company?
I realised that, for me, making custom cakes was far more fulfilling than waking up at 3am to make croissants. I wanted to spend more time dealing with clients on a personal level. Three Sweeties is about giving people what they want – not only in terms of flavour and design, but also in personal service. I started the business with the intention of making cakes that looked good, tasted good, and encouraged clients to come back because of the great experience they received. Those values have not changed at all.

What makes Three Sweeties different from other cake businesses?
There are no cakes available for purchase from a refrigerated cabinet, all our cakes are baked from scratch from my own recipes, we only ever bake to order and no request is too extreme, because I think my clients deserve the very best experience I can give them. If for some reason we can't achieve what you're after, we'll tell you what we can do for you. We won't make promises we can't keep, won't say we can do something when we can't, and above all we'll make sure you're getting the very best product.

Do you cater to people with dietary restrictions?
Over time I've expanded our offerings to cater to people with dietary needs: those who need treats free of gluten, egg, nuts or dairy (read more). They are the ones who are often the most unable to have their needs met. Nothing makes me happier than a parent telling me they've never been able to order a cake for their child until now, or seeing the look on someone's face when they pick up a cake and say, "that looks more amazing than I imagined." (read testimonials) With Three Sweeties, I don't want to meet your expectations – I want to exceed them and that includes clients with special needs.

Do you love what you do? Why?
I love what I do for a living because it brings people joy and happiness, and I get to be a part of the milestone celebrations in people's lives. I have many clients for whom I made their wedding cakes and now I am creating their children's christening cakes and birthday cakes. It's no longer just me working on my own at my kitchen table, but the passion and motivation behind the business are still very much how it operates. The single best part of my job is when a client picks up a cake and they – or their children – light up and say, "Oh, it's fabulous!" And for those wondering, the worst part of my job is the dishes! (Although even that's not too bad.)

TESTIMONIALS

"A huge thank you for our Dr Evil and Mini Me cake that you created for my husband's 30th and son's 2nd birthdays. The cake looked amazing and tasted even better... moist, chocolaty and so yum! It was an absolute hit. Michelle couldn't have made the whole process any easier if she'd tried. Our guests have all been asking where our cake came from, the restaurant loved your work, and the best part? There was enough left over to take home and savour. I can't recommend Three Sweeties highly enough and will most definitely be back. Thank you for doing such a brilliant job." Sarah H

"A big thankyou for Millie's Scooby Doo cake. The rainbow effect was popular. Just want to commend your professional approach to everything, from order to delivery!" Deb P

"The cake was fantastic!!!! Everybody commented on it and it tasted divine!!!! You did a wonderful job interpreting my thoughts into life and creating exactly the look I was after. Thank you so much for contributing to making my little girl's 1st birthday so memorable." Tracy D

"A big thank you for my daughter's birthday cake. Not only was the cake amazing visually, but everyone commented on how moist and delicious it was and could not believe it was egg free. I never thought I would be able to get a professional, amazing cake that could cater for my daughter's allergy. It was the icing on her birthday party and expect a call from me next year." Sarah M

"Thank you for the beautiful cake and cupcakes that you created for my daughter's first birthday. It was absolutely what I wanted and it tasted great too! Everyone commented on it and the kids loved the cupcakes as a goddie bag, and the way it was boxed made it extra special. You were so helpful with the order process and answering all of my questions... much appreciated! Thanks again, and I look forward to ordering many more cakes from you in the future." Marguerite

"Thank you so much for creating our gorgeous wedding cake! It looked beautiful and completely captured the mood of our wedding. And it tasted fabulous! So many guests commented on the cake – the details, how real the sugared leaves and acorns looked, the originality, the bride and groom figurines, the choc ganache! It was a stunning centrepiece of our reception. Throughout the whole process to decide on our cake, Michelle, you have been so professional. And extremely helpful. Thank you so, so much. You are truly talented." Helen and Sharif

Any questions? Please contact Three Sweeties