A guest teaching day at Luminary Bakery, and why it meant everything.
There are days that just stay with you. Not because everything went perfectly, but because something in it felt true. Last week was one of those days for me.
I had the privilege of going back to Luminary Bakery in London as a guest teacher, and I am still thinking about it.
What Is Luminary Bakery?
If you have not come across Luminary Bakery before, please let me introduce you to something quite special. Luminary is a charity that supports women from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds through a two-year programme that teaches professional baking skills, prepares women for job interviews, offers mentorship, and provides mental health support. The goal is straightforward and deeply human: to help women become financially independent.
The first time I was invited to their Christmas party, I brought along a little buttercream flower piping session, just to share something joyful. Apparently, it landed well, because this time they invited me back as a proper guest teacher.
This visit was more structured. I took the women through baking maple syrup cupcakes from scratch, then on to piping buttercream flowers, and finally decorating their finished cakes. Watching someone pipe their very first flower and then look up with that expression, a kind of surprised delight, is something I do not think I will ever take for granted.
Why This Matters So Much to Me
My cake business began as a way to honour my mum's legacy of living life with joy. That is the truest thing I can say about why I do what I do.
My parents grew up in South Korea in the years following Japanese colonisation, when the country was among the poorest in the world. They, especially Mum, never had the chance to pursue an education. She worked hard her entire life, and she poured every hope she had into her children.
I remember a conversation we had at the hospital, towards the end of her life. I was trying to make her smile, and I told her that one day I would be very successful and buy her a business class ticket to come and visit me in England. I thought that would make her happy. She had always spoken about the importance of security, of her children doing well.
But she looked at me and said something I had never heard her say before. She said "Money does not matter. Be happy".
I have carried that with me ever since. Those words changed the direction of my life. Everything I do now, every cake I make, every class I teach, is in some way connected to that moment.
My mum never had the opportunities that education and financial freedom can bring. So when I walk into a room full of women who are rebuilding their lives, learning skills, daring to imagine a different future for themselves, I feel the full weight of what that means. And I feel an enormous responsibility to give everything I have got.
Teaching as a Form of Hope
I do not want to overstate my part in any of this. Luminary Bakery does the extraordinary, sustained, and dedicated work. I simply came along for one day with a recipe and tools.
But I genuinely believe that learning a creative skill, whether it is baking, flower piping, or something else entirely, can do something for a person's sense of possibility. It shows you that your hands can make something beautiful. It shows you that beauty is not just for other people.
And perhaps, for some of the women I spent that day with, it planted a small seed. Maybe the idea that they too could one day teach, or create, or build something of their own. That is my hope, at least.
Honestly, it felt like a dream come true. I went home that evening feeling full in a way that is hard to describe. Grateful, purposeful, and more certain than ever that this is exactly where my work is meant to go.
If You Are in London
Luminary Bakery has a beautiful cafe in London, and every coffee or cake you buy there directly supports the women going through their programme. If you have the chance to pop in, please do. It is a genuinely wonderful place, and the team there have the warmest hearts.
I cannot wait to go back.
With so much love and gratitude,
Seohyun
Founder, DOSE OF ROSE
DOSE OF ROSE founder Seohyun Han shares her guest teaching experience at Luminary Bakery, a charity supporting women through professional baking skills and mentorship in London.
Keywords: buttercream flower piping workshop, Luminary Bakery London, women empowerment through baking, DOSE OF ROSE, cake decorating classes London
Q: What is Luminary Bakery? A: A London-based charity offering a two-year programme teaching baking skills, job preparation, mentorship and mental health support to women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Q: Can I learn buttercream flower piping as a beginner? A: Yes. Seohyun's workshops are designed to guide complete beginners through piping their first buttercream flowers in a structured, supportive session.
Q: Where can I support Luminary Bakery? A: Visit their cafe in London, where every purchase directly supports the women in their programme.
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