Meet Celeste Naidoo: the Seaview baker who sprinkles love into every order

For Celeste Naidoo, baking is not just a business. It is an extension of her faith and her family life.

“God is the foundation of both my life and my business,” said the Seaview-based baker.

A devoted wife, daughter and sister, she lives with her in-laws and spends most of her days either in the kitchen or at church.

“Everything I do begins with prayer,” she said. “Even my orders.”

Naidoo officially launched Celestial Bakes and Catering in 2024 after leaving her corporate career to pursue baking full-time. The move was bold but not unfamiliar. She grew up around her mother’s bakery, established in 2011, where she learned the business from the ground up.

“I was involved in preparation, production and customer care,” she said. “That experience built my confidence. Knowledge, practice and perseverance shaped me.”

Although baking had always been around her, she said that her true love for it began after she got married in 2014.

“I started baking creatively for my husband,” she explained. “What began as simple acts of love became a calling.”

She combined what she had learned as a child with a renewed sense of purpose. “I developed a deep desire to create and serve through baking.”

Her journey has been supported by family. She recalled how her brother invested her first R800 to buy ingredients.

“He told me not to pay him back,” she said. Her husband has also played a key role. “He makes sure I have everything that I need for every order.”

When a power surge destroyed her electric beater, she faced a setback.

“A week later, I was blessed with a brand-new stand mixer,” she said. “Celestial Bakes was built on sacrifice, generosity and belief.”

Running a baking business in South Africa comes with challenges.

“The biggest challenge is the rising ingredient costs,” she said. “Flour, butter and cocoa prices keep increasing.”

She constantly works to balance fair pricing with sustainability. “I am determined to survive without compromising quality.”

Naidoo is known for her creativity and consistency. “I refuse to deliver anything that I would not be proud of,” she said.

She often includes something extra in her orders. “The joy is in the feedback. When customers respond with gratitude, it reminds me of why I started.”

Looking ahead, she hopes to grow Celestial Bakes three times its current size. Her long-term dream is to open a café in Seaview.

“Just coffee and cake, and my husband’s toasted sandwiches,” she said. “A space rooted in faith, family and community.”

Her philosophy remains simple: “When you bake with love, serve with faith and give a little extra, it always comes back multiplied.”