Meet Karen Sanabria Russo | Self-taught pastry chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Sanabria Russo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Be faithful to my tastes and the vision I have for each product, and for my brand in general. I have received opinions questioning whether the level of detail and standards that I have established are necessary, and although they make me have second thoughts, I have always decided to move forward, slowly building the quality and image that I want to project with my small business, and my clients respond to that, and they value it.

What should our readers know about your business?
For me, baking is a challenging business, differentiating myself from others is what motivates me to create and experiment, and I am proud to have achieved it, but being self-taught (and insecure, very insecure), this has involved a lot of trial and error, and frustration Plus, it’s a small business, I can’t afford to stay stuck in testing for a long time, so, sometimes you have to take a risk and involve the client in the process. Stubbornness has helped and sabotaged me along the way, and it has been a challenge to manage it so that it doesn’t become the reason my business fails.

I have learned to develop my flavors and brand by following my instincts, trusting my guts without stopping to compare myself with others around me, but looking my colleagues in the industry as inspiration. Competition is healthy and helps maintain quality and constancy, we can now all together.

I want it to be known that when you receive a product from Panacea Bakehouse, nothing is a coincidence, and I put all my dedication into both the flavor and the presentation.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a tough question. As a small business owner who has failed to make friends, I don’t go out much (I’d be better off getting recommendations instead). I love to eat, so I would take you for ramen at Kami Ramen on a cold night, and dry ribs at Corky’s on Poplar Avenue where the service is very pleasant. If it’s on season, going to a baseball game at the Autozone and finish with a pizza at Aldo’s on Main St. could not be a better plan.

I would also visit Tom Lee Park on the river bank, it is a relaxing environment and great fun for children, and finish in this little Lebanese restaurant on Germantown Pkwy called Cedars.

And I have Rollin Cafe on my bucket list, their cinnamon rolls are calling me.

And that’s all I have, but I know that there are many fellows entrepreneurs growing their business that I would love to visit someday.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First of all, my family: mom, dad and husband. Starting a small business simultaneously with raising my first child would not have been possible without them. We are a team “in almost perfect” balance.

The support I receive from the Venezuelan community (mine as well) has been what has kept me motivated, and in the market, not only buying my products, but also recommending them and giving them as gifts to people of other nationalities. That is priceless.

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