Author
Penk Ching
Serendipity comes in many forms. In this case, it was what we can call pretty sweet timing. Corporate officer Penk Ching knew that she had to take the deep dive somewhere to satiate her love and passion for decor and flair, which, back then, was only a weekend hobby. When her sister Shen Ratilla chanced upon an advertisement in the newspaper for a cake-decorating class, they both decided to enroll and the rest is history.
Penk first attempted to strike a balance between holding a nine-to-five job in one of the biggest multinational banking companies globally, and the world of fondants, icing, and styling. However, she knew that she wanted her life to revolve around the latter. She left the corporate world to focus on cake decorating full time, and Pastry Bin was born.
She is considered as one of the premier cake decorators in the country, with bigwig clients hailing from all kinds of industries—from notable figures in government to highbrow figures of society. She even answers to demands outside of her homeland. Recognition and accolades followed, and Penk rose as high as her tiered creations, her most memorable ones including awards from Hong Kong International Culinary Classic and Food and Hotel Asia competitions.
When she’s not whipping up new ideas in the kitchen, she finds solace in panting, applying her skills in Chinese ink painting, watercolor, and various other methods in her cake creations when possible. She also puts her artwork up for display in several exhibits around Manila.
As a household name in the industry, Penk shares her expertise in several seminars around the country, including the Mindanao Culinary Festival, the National Food Showdown in Manila, and the Goldilocks Cake Expo. She also serves as panel judge and coach in several specialized food and culinary competitions locally and internationally, such as the Philippine Culinary Cup, the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (World Pastry Cup) in France, and the Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Cup in Maldives, to name a few.
Penk has also made a mark in the publishing industry. She has contributed to noteworthy publications such as Chinese Painting in the Philippines—a coffee table book collection handled by the Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University—Baking Press, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Junior Inquirer section), where she shares tips and tricks of the trade.
Caked in Sugar, her debut book published thirteen years ago, was what she considered to be the most humbling collection of her contributions, but she looks at Beyond Sugar as her experiment. She knows that at the end of the day, it only ever takes a taste to know that something is special.
Author
Shen Ratilla
Shen Ratilla is a senior executive of a universal bank and co-owner of the bakeshop enterprise Pastry Bin.
Shen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree major in Behavioral Science from the University of Santo Tomas and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from George Washington University. Shen specializes in learning and development, organization development, and career development.
Though not a chef by profession, she shares a passion for the art of baking and cake decorating with her sister and fellow sugar artist Penk Ching. Since 1986, she has been a maker of ornate, bespoke cakes, many of which have become conversation pieces in high profile weddings, international events, historic affairs, and various special occasions.
Shen and Penk first started baking cookies and fruitcakes in the ’80s, initially just for fun. With no formal training except for a cake-decorating class they enrolled in together, the two sisters began to create customized wedding cakes for friends. Through word of mouth, Pastry Bin soon became the go-to for Manila’s elite. Penk and Shen became synonymous with artistic fondant cakes and were sought after for their elaborate detail, originality, and craftsmanship. To date, Pastry Bin cakes have been flown to various countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
Shen is a proud mother of two and a fitness enthusiast who enjoys yoga, HIIT, and other forms of exercise and outdoor activities, like hiking along trails near Manila.