welcome to baked banhs

Two strawberry maritozzis on a wood cutting board.
Cute orange sketch orange of a maritozzi with cowboy hat.

A unique fusion bakery nestled in the heart of Santa Ana, CA. Founded by first-generation Vietnamese/Chinese American immigrants Christal Sin, Melissa Yip, and Thomas Liu. We are a woman and family-owned business driven by a passion for baking and a desire for creative freedom. Opening in Summer 2024, Baked Banhs is a testament to the diverse and vibrant culinary heritage of Southern California's immigrant communities.

Orange sketch logo of three cute pastries holding hands.

  • Christal is a former sushi chef who has worked in various Japanese restaurants across LA over the past ten years. During the pandemic, she began developing her baking skills and soon became the pastry chef for Morihiro, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Atwater Village, CA, where she curated their pastry menu. She has also worked at esteemed establishments such as n/naka and Sushi Enya. Christal has since left these prestigious roles to pursue her dream of establishing a food venue of her own, focusing on the eclectic flavors that represent the melting pot of Southern California, mixing American French pastries with a non-traditional Asian flair.

  • Thomas Liu is a food entrepreneur and chef, known for creating multiple successful food concepts across various cuisines. While attending college full-time, he launched his first venture, BYOB A Boba Co., starting at swap meets and eventually opening his first brick-and-mortar location. He later founded Loose Leaf Boba Company, which is on track to have 13 stores, with more brands in development.

    Thomas aims to bring people together and create dialogue through food and drinks. As he grows his businesses, he is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and fair environment where everyone is paid a living wage and has opportunities for growth. He strives to empower BIPOC, LGBTQ, and women to take on leadership roles, with the overarching goal of building better businesses.

  • Melissa is a certified interior designer with a degree from California State University, Long Beach. Using her established foundation in design and architecture, she has honed a keen eye for aesthetics and a passion for creativity. Beyond the realm of design, she has always held an immense enthusiasm for food. This passion has led to the exciting venture of co-founding a microbakery in Santa Ana, CA.

    In addition to her professional pursuits, she is deeply committed to social justice and aspires to be an empowering woman in business. In her free time, she loves to immerse herself in Southern California's vibrant art, food, and cultural scenes, continually drawing inspiration from the diverse and dynamic environment. Through Baked Banhs, she strives to make a positive and culturally enriching impact on her community.

A chocolate and matcha concha on a wood cutting board.
An orange sketch of a cute cartoon concha wearing a cap.

Our inspiration

As a family of food enthusiasts in our 30s, we embarked on this venture to blend our cultural roots with innovation. We aim to explore delightful pastries such as croissants, maritozzis, conchas, danishes, confectionary desserts, and cakes. We want to feature unique flavors like kimchi scallion, ube cream with coconut, horchata, banoffee, elote, and so on. These flavors are inspired by our heritage and Southern California’s diverse food culture.

our Vision

Currently, we are set up in a cozy 165 square-foot booth and share an oven with a neighboring vendor to bake all our goods. This setup allows us to build our offerings and a loyal customer base.

Our vision is to evolve Baked Banhs into a vibrant deli and roastery. We aim to serve a full selection of banh mi sandwiches alongside our signature pastries, and expertly crafted espressos and traditional Vietnamese coffee. This expansion will deepen our connection to our culinary roots while providing a broader dining experience.

Our Future

With your support, we plan to take significant steps toward realizing our dream. Your patronage will help us:

  • Purchase our own ovens and baking equipment, ensuring greater control over our production process and flexibility to R&D.

  • Invest in marketing and outreach to attract more customers and build a strong community presence.

  • Save towards securing a dedicated storefront, creating a space where our patrons can experience the full essence of Baked Banhs.

  • Enhance our menu and introduce a breakfast selection and coffee offerings, providing a complete and enriching culinary experience.

By supporting Baked Banhs, you are not only investing in a small business but also championing the diverse flavors and stories of Southern California's immigrant communities. We are excited about the journey ahead and grateful for the opportunity to share our passion with the world.

Together, we can make Baked Banhs a beloved fixture in Santa Ana and beyond.

Warm regards,

Christal Sin, Melissa Yip, and Thomas Liu