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This Week We Feature Young Professional Lestene M. Maduro

She started with a passion for architecture, meaning to follow in the footsteps of her father in that profession, but as you will read towards the end of this article, our Young Professional for this week Lestene M. Maduro followed her own advice and saw the opportunity to do something different and she took it. Photo: Facebook
Not only has she taken a passion and made into a profession, but she is currently working on her Bachelor's Degree in Management with a view to taking over the family business and running it effectively, both in and out of the kitchen. Photo: Facebook
Not only has she taken a passion and made into a profession, but she is currently working on her Bachelor's Degree in Management with a view to taking over the family business and running it effectively, both in and out of the kitchen. Photo: Facebook
Today she is trained in the arts of making of cakes and pastries and is part owner of LSL Bakery of Virgin Gorda, which also has a branch in Road Town, Tortola. Photo: Provided
Today she is trained in the arts of making of cakes and pastries and is part owner of LSL Bakery of Virgin Gorda, which also has a branch in Road Town, Tortola. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
Some of Lestene M. Maduro's beautiful cake creations. Photo: Provided
By N. Johann Earle

She started with a passion for architecture, meaning to follow in the footsteps of her father in that profession, but as you will read towards the end of this article, our Young Professional for this week Lestene M. Maduro followed her own advice and saw the opportunity to do something different and she took it.

Today she is trained in the art of making cakes and pastries and is part owner of LSL Bakery of Virgin Gorda, which also has a branch in Road Town, Tortola.

Born and raised on the sister island of Virgin Gorda, our Young Professional describes herself as a proud Virgin Gordian.

Not only has she taken a passion and made into a profession, but she is currently working on her Bachelor's Degree in Management with a view to taking over the family business and running it effectively, both in and out of the kitchen.

She graduated from the Bregado Flax Educational Centre- Secondary Division in 2006 after attending the Primary Division of the same institution. Following her secondary school graduation, she attended the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College – both its Virgin Gorda Campus and at Paraquita Bay until 2009 when she moved to Orlando, Florida to pursue culinary arts.

“I started doing cakes I would say after my senior year in high school. It was something that my mom [encouraged me to do] since I had free time and she wanted me to help out.”

She noted that at this stage she was only preparing cakes, not decorating them like she does today.

“I was prepping them and making sure that they had their icing made, making boxes and everything so I wasn't like hands on with cakes until probably 2007.”

The moment she realised she was good with cakes

Maduro said she wanted to go abroad to study to become an architect. But she said this did not happen because her mother felt she was too young to move away. “So I was just doing some classes at the HLSCC at the time. But after I started getting into the cakes we found out that I was really good at it,” Maduro explained.

It was then she had a conversation with her mother, saying that it might be the right time for her to further her studies in the area of culinary arts, now that the mother is at the point where she is getting down in age.

She attended a school of pastry arts in Orlando, Florida, USA and returned to the territory upon completion and started working at LSL Bakery.

“I was there until the end of 2012 as I left for school again in 2013. Now I am aiming to get my Bachelor's of Science in Business Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and my expected graduation date is December 2016,” she said.

“I already have my culinary skills now I am aiming to get the stepping stones or the plan to successfully run a business,” she said.

“Cakes became a passion of mine. I don't see it as a job.”

Following the attainment of her culinary degree, our Young Professional came home in the summer of 2014 to help with the opening of the Tortola branch of LSL bakery located in the Cutlass Towers, owned by Virgin Islands business and cultural icon Patsy C. Lake.

“Everything was a hit and I left for school again. The following summer I came home and I had an appreciation and a giveaway for customers celebrating the anniversary with us,” she said.

Future plans

Following the completion of her schooling she hopes to return home and take over the business. She is of the view that since the majority of the business' clientele is in Road Town, it is not unreasonable to envision that the business could be located solely in Road Town in the coming years.

Asked what challenges she had while studying overseas, she said that other than the distance between herself and her family there was not much else of a challenge. She said while she knows she is badly needed to help run the business, it was a sacrifice that she needed to make.

Asked about her early interest in architecture before she got the passion for cakes, she said, “My father used to teach architecture and woodwork in high school and for some reason I was attracted to that,” she said, adding that in school she did woodwork and electronics and technical drawing “as that was the field I wanted to go in. But I ended up in cakes.”

Advice to youth

Our Young Professional advises young people that even though they may have a plan for their future, things can change and they need to be ready to adapt and take advantage of the new opportunities as a result of that change.

“Although you may have a plan for your future things do not always work out that way. The change, believe it or not, is for the best. I wanted to be an architect but after a few years I turned out to be a pastry chef. Don't be discouraged that things didn't work out how you wanted them to be,” she advised.

26 Responses to “This Week We Feature Young Professional Lestene M. Maduro”

  • foxy (19/02/2016, 08:43) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good stuff big ups to lestene
  • IamWoman (19/02/2016, 09:14) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Amazing work and such a beautiful presence!
  • Nai (19/02/2016, 09:15) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Kudos to you Lestene! Keep doing big things!
  • The TRUTH (19/02/2016, 09:44) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Wow. Those cakes look amazing.
  • Jeh... (19/02/2016, 10:00) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lestene you are amazing at what you do with the cakes and desserts and I know that you tried to hold on to your Architecture dreams for as long as you could but this is a prime example of fulfilling your God-given purpose!

    All the best in your future endeavours!!
  • Looking on (19/02/2016, 10:09) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Nice...keep doing big things..God's speed.
  • amazing cakes (19/02/2016, 11:11) Like (5) Dislike (10) Reply
    Your work is way better than the "BVI Cake Boss" girl and Im sure they taste better too. Our events are now yours I will be calling you in the near future.

    Great artiste you are
    • wow (19/02/2016, 15:42) Like (23) Dislike (0) Reply
      You didn't have to congratulate one and down the other. I'm sure both of their work is great in their own way but you could have kept that "shady" comment to yourself. OAN, your work is AMAZIN, Keep up the good work! That chandelier cake is the BUSINESS!
  • Yep... (19/02/2016, 11:26) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    VINO your picks are getting better and better fabulous lady excellent skills You go GIRL!
  • Cake lover (19/02/2016, 12:12) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Always been a fan of LSL cakes. Nice piece, she's a beauty too...
  • girl power (19/02/2016, 12:50) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Beautiful woman, lovely (appropriate and fitting) pictures and most of all beautiful cakes!
  • home girl (19/02/2016, 13:32) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Great Job Lestene. You can achieve anything as long as you put your heart and soul into it.
  • the rock (19/02/2016, 13:49) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    know your dad well, don't know u yet, but i will one day, congrats, keep reaching for the stars, u are half way there!
  • Watching from a distance (19/02/2016, 13:51) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congrats at being selected the professional for the week. Although you may not have followed your dream directly of becoming an architect, you are putting you designing skills to use when you make cakes. When one look at your cakes, you can see cakes of different styles and shapes. Keep up the good work.
  • ci (19/02/2016, 13:57) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    So proud of you Tene. Continue to strive..the best is still yet to come. Proud of you!!
  • Butchervino (19/02/2016, 14:55) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Vino. U r. D. Best
    Good choice Proud of u Tene
    Frm d boyz unda d tree
  • Joc (19/02/2016, 16:31) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Excellent!!
  • pat (19/02/2016, 17:38) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    She big time now she on vino
  • Former Grade 4 Teacher (20/02/2016, 00:06) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am super proud.
  • Event Planner (20/02/2016, 09:33) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Great job, Lestene,
    You and syrienne does an amazing job! Keep it up
  • Nice (20/02/2016, 10:14) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congrats, Lestene. Lovely pics and inspirational account. Very nice article, VINO.
  • Windy (20/02/2016, 23:13) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    very well written piece its always a pleasure to see our people moving on up... good going Ms. Lestene, and Long Live VINO we love you as you the only one promoting our people BAM
  • ausar (26/02/2016, 10:27) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    WOW! Great info for next event!


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