by Isabella Argosino

Let’s face it, gluten-free is a commercialized lie. For Fitriya Hartono, food should be embraced – in all its sugar-rich, slightly sinful, and fattening glory. So is her story behind the name of The Fattery: an honest-to-goodness baked goods store that is in the business of making people, well, fat. “We’re simply telling the truth that when you consume our products, you will want more and more, and you know how it goes from there,” shares Fitriya.

From an apartment during her college days where she was gifted with her very own kitchen, Fitriya was able to foster a hobby and hone it into a craft. “Whenever I baked or made ice cream for fun, I shared it with friends or loved ones,” she says. “They would always want to buy from me, then encouraged me to start taking orders.” And so she decided to turn a mere past time into a moneymaker, and more.

Inspired by American celebrity chef Emeril Lagasee, she, too, found herself wanting to evoke emotions in people through the art of culinary. “I love his passion for food, and the warmth and comfort that you can feel from his cooking style,” she admires of the Food Network prime-timer. Indeed, The Fattery’s cakes and cookies are reminiscent of days spent at your sweet grandmother’s, or a cheery hug from a friend after a bad day. Such is the effect of quality desserts that don’t scrimp on ingredients, though sourcing which can be difficult. “[Finding high-standard] yet affordable ingredients with consistent supply is challenings,” Fitriya admits. “Getting reliable help who have similar passions as myself as well.” But it’s all to preach the wonders of baked goods.

Besides baking, Fitriya also likes to venture in other kitchen endeavors. “I cook almost everyday. I love to experiment with different cuisines, mainly Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Italian dishes,” she quips. However, The Fattery isn’t looking at a multi-cuisine expansion just yet. “At the moment, we see ourselves participating in more weekend markets, and hopefully in a couple of years, we can settle down and set up a shop,” Fitriya reveals.

Fortunately, one need not search far to get your fat fix. The Fattery products are available at the Satchmi store.