Inspiring Conversations with Jonathan Peregrino of JP Makes & Bakes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Peregrino. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up I had really bad athletically induced asthma, so I spent a lot of time inside. While tv and video games were an option, I found myself in the kitchen a lot with my parents or my grandmother. It was something that came naturally to me from an early age and I also started to play and try things that I had read about or seen other people do. 

There was always a side of me that was always hustling. While in high school I started to cater food to family friends and others during their parties. 

I went on to study Business Marketing at Indiana University. Upon graduation, I went into corporate Sales/Marketing for a few companies, over a 15-year period. Throughout that, I would spend my downtime in the kitchen as an escape. The flame for cooking continued to grow inside knowing that one day I would take the leap and make the move to the Food Industry. The goal was always by the time I turned 40, to have that ball rolling. 

After moving to Michigan in 2014, my partner at the time pushed me to start exploring what shift in industries could look like, I started taking a few classes at the community college and knew I needed to take the jump. With some evaluation of timing and current situation, I decided to leave corporate and enroll in a short pastry program at the end of 2018. I attended the Academy of Bakery and Pastry Arts – Philippines for their Basic Pastry Course, I also enrolled in a few Master Classes. 

When I returned from pastry school, things in my personal life got flipped upside down, and while going back to a corporate career would be the safe financial move, I knew I needed to continue down the path I started. I was about to leave Michigan when an opportunity in Detroit presented itself that I couldn’t turn down. After a few months, that opportunity didn’t pan out, but here I was in Detroit, trying to find my way. 

Through some connections, I was able to land a pastry assistant job working under Warda Bouguettaya of Warda Patisserie. It was a great experience until things once again got turned upside down and things were shut down due to COVID-19. 

During the time off I started working more on my personal baking and treats and through that JP Makes & Bakes was created. I wanted to encompass not only the baked goods that I made but also confectionary and other treats. Through this I started exploring with things I liked to bake that I knew people already enjoyed, baking some of the Filipino treats I grew up with, but then also incorporating some of the Filipino flavors into things people were more familiar with. 

While this side business isn’t big enough to financially support me, I also work as the Pastry Chef for Oak & Reel in Detroit. Here I’ve been able to learn and grow with more plated style desserts. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Oh my, things have not always been super smooth. I originally moved to Detroit to help open up a shop, but things just didn’t work out with the owners. I then found a great job working at Warda Patisserie, but about a month after starting, everything was shut down to COVID-19. At the end of summer 2020, Warda wasn’t sure when she would reopen and I needed to find work, so I found a head baker position at Tapped Coffee and Beverages in Canton. It was a great experience where I was able to help standardize and grow their program. At the same time, I also accepted a position as Pastry Cook at Oak & Reel in Detroit. It was a rough few months working 2 jobs, Thursday-Sunday, averaging about 60 hours a week, which made it hard for me to work on JP Makes & Bakes. Then in Nov 2020, the second shutdown happened, so working part-time at the bakery in Canton, I started to build up things for JP Makes & Bakes. When the restaurant was able to reopen in Feb 2021, I knew I couldn’t continue to manage 2 jobs and try to grow JP Makes & Bakes, so I made the choice to leave the Canton job which gave me a better balance to work a full-time job, while also having time to continue to grow JP Makes & Bakes. 

Summer of 2021, I participated in my first farmers market at The Congregation in Detroit, this was an amazing opportunity to really focus on getting myself and my treats out there for more people. The farmers market also had its own challenges with being outdoors, we had major rain for some of the days and also a big wind storm that took out my tent as well as other sellers’ tents. 

While nothing has been perfect, it’s been a great learning experience, learning to change, grow and adapt to whatever scenario comes. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about JP Makes & Bakes?
JP Makes & Bakes is a home baking business where I try to bring a variety of tasty treats that I enjoy to you. 

My portfolio ranges from cakes to cookies, breads, Filipino pastries, Filipino fusion pastries, and chocolates. 

I really just enjoy making tasty treats and try to incorporate my Filipino heritage/flavors where I can. 

I’ve started to become known for some of my Ube treats which include my Ube Cookies, Brownies, and Chocolates. 

I have catered wedding dessert tables, created custom chocolate boxes (minimal qty’s are needed). 

If a whole cake or larger quantities are not feasible, follow my insta to see where I am popping up. 

What do you think about luck?
Some may call it luck, I like to think of it as being open/embracing whatever opportunities are presented, and learning/growing from them. 

I moved to Detroit for an opportunity that didn’t end up working out, but that led me to working with Warda who has become an amazing role model for what I hope to achieve one day. When the COVID shut down’s hit, I had to pivot and started working on my personal business. 

In the summer of 2020, I had a random message in my Instagram inbox which led me to being cast on Food Network Holiday Baking Championship in 2020. This was such an amazing adventure that showed me where I was but reignited the fire for me to continue to learn and grow in this industry that was new to me. 

Chef Jared at Oak & Reel took a chance with me having very little industry experience, but there I’ve gone from a Pastry Cook to the Pastry Chef. There I’ve been able to learn, grow, try new things, gotten an award for Best Dessert – Restaurant (Wayne Co) from Detroit Metro Times, and been part of the team awarded Best Restaurant 2022 by Hour Detroit Magazine. 

Chef has been super supportive of me continuing to grow and build on JP Makes & Bakes while working for him at the restaurant. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.jpmakesandbakes.com
• Instagram: jpmakesandbakes