HEALTHY BAKED GOODIES FROM ROWIE’S CAKES!
DEF: Gluten – A mixture of two proteins present in cereal grains, particularly wheat, which is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.
Hello VIVE friends…
We love meeting people who are as crazy and passionate about food and cooking as much as we are – and let me tell you, this week’s post simply oozes foodie passion!
Rowie Dillon is the brains, colour, movement and love that is Rowie’s Cakes! As captain of what has become a very successful ship, it’s not simply Rowie’s clever kitchen creations that have sealed her success but her effortless enthusiasm and lust for life.
We caught up with Rowie this week to dig a little deeper into her wonderful world. And as seems to be the way with any friends of VIVE, we were spectacularly impressed!
As always, if you have any feedback then please don’t hesitate to contact us via our website here. And if you simply want to book a class or two, then please head to our website here.
Until next week…
THE VIVE TEAM
GLUTEN, YEAST & WHEAT-FREE @ ROWIE’S CAKES
“I do believe though that you have to surround yourself with a team that has the same vision. We call it ‘the bus’ at Rowie’s Cakes – if you’re on the bus, you’re on it. If you’re not, it’s time to push the buzzer and jump off!
I also believe in the four P’s – Passion, Product, Planning and truckloads of Persistence. You need these four P’s and the stamina of a jaguar to succeed in the food industry!
— Rowie Dillon, Founder + Owner, Rowies Cakes
Rowie’s Cakes is the love and life of coeliac and baking dynamo Rowie Dillon! It’s also a story about how a vision can become a reality when handled with love, passion and bucketloads of tenacity! Let’s re-wind the clock 15 years to when Rowie was working in advertising and her cake enterprise was but a longed-for dream.
As with many others who manage food intolerances, Rowie struggled to find interesting and flavoursome treats that tasted great and didn’t adversely affect her health. Also feeling a tad disillusioned in her advertising role, Rowie spent her spare time conjuring a business that she hoped would one day become a household name. She created some recipes and composed a little story about a kitchen that baked wheat, yeast, gluten and dairy free goodies for all to enjoy – and so the dream for Rowie’s Cakes took flight.
After being serendipitously retrenched from her advertising position shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, Rowie decided now was her time. She jumped in the car and went in search of boxes in which to display her wares and, once found, decorated them with her now synonymous red “R”. Armed and determined, Rowie took to the road and before too long had secured accounts with both David Jones and Greengrocer.com.au.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“I think one of the single most important things that has got me through to this point is the gratitude that I receive from my customers. It unlocks my heart and makes any day lighter and brighter.
— Rowie Dillon, Founder + Owner, Rowie’s Cakes
From humble yet passionate beginnings, Rowie’s Cakes now works across two factories in Sydney and employs 38 passionate staff who produce a range of 100% gluten, yeast and wheat-free products. Rowie’s Cakes can be found in retail outlets right across Australia and into Singapore. Her core customers are in-flight catering for Qantas and Tigerair and supermarkets such as Woolworths and Supa IGAs.
Rowie’s Cakes is a brand that comes from the heart. All products are made using only the finest gluten-free flours, seeds and grains, and the business was proudly one of the first Australian manufacturers to utilise quinoa flour in their baking.
Rowie is incredibly hands-on in her business. She loves creating new recipes and spending time on the factory floor – her staff say she’s at her best when creating in the kitchen or leading the team, which is hardly so very surprising!
And a Rowie’s best-seller? While the answer to this may vary depending on the weather, there are two mouthwatering products that vie for the top spot. Rowie gave first place to Rowie’s Moorish Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies, although the new Decadent Gooey Amaranth Chocolate cake came a close second. I’ll take one of each!
Teaching kids the love of cooking exceptional food is another passion of this baking dynamo – and we’re thrilled to be welcoming Rowie into the the VIVE Cooking School kitchen during the upcoming school holidays. With Rowie at the helm, we will be presenting a range of fantastic cooking and baking classes for kids. From gnocchi making and cake baking to pastry and pie production and confectionery concoction, there’s something for all tastes in the VIVE kitchen these school holidays!
If you’d love your children to learn some fantastic new kitchen skills (while you wander around the awesome new Cannery complex, perhaps stopping for a coffee at The 5th Earl, a tasty treat from Grain Organic Bakery or a spot of shopping at Koskela!) then head to our website here and sign them up! It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn some new skills while sharing the kitchen with the inspiring Rowie.
Instagram: @rowiescakes
Facebook: Rowie Dillon
Facebook page: Rowie’s Cakes – a kitchen that bakes wheat, yeast, gluten and dairy free
Twitter: @rowiescakes
