If you happen to be walking down DeKalb Avenue near Tompkins in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy, you might discover a little gem of a bakery called Ava’s Lifeline. And not just any bakery, but a Caribbean Vegan bakery!
Ava Bastien is a chef and a baker and is the proprietor of this charming establishment. “I grew up in the Caribbean and my parents owned a restaurant and that helped me inspire my love for cooking. I started cooking at the age of nine and when I migrated to America, I wanted to get involved with different culinary experiences.” Exclaims Bastien. “One year, I fell in love with the food in this restaurant and I realized that it was vegan, which is non-animal product. I wanted to learn more and I took classes infusing all the flavors of my upbringing and so that’s how I started Ava‘s Lifeline”
“We don’t use any preservatives in any of our products and our mission is clean and healthy eating. My favorite part of having my own business is the ability to organize and live out my dream of creating recipes and talking to people.” continues Bastien. “I started my business because I was conscious of the lack of flavor in Vegan food and wanted to fix that. I was always cooking and that’s what I loved to do. so, I wanted to share that with the world in my own way.”
When Ava decided to start her business, she got a little help. “I learned about WIBO from a friend. They teach you to think about what makes your business unique from your competitors and to appreciate your favorite part of having your own business. They itemized the steps to run a business and the lifetime connections you meet in the classroom are invaluable.” gushes Ava. “Starting a business was important to me because I can control what I put into my products and make sure that if I’m happy with them that I’m happy selling it.”
As a business owner, Ava lives by this mantra. “When there is a will there is way. Always be ready for an opportunity.” she shares. But more than just words, her bakery serves as her own lifeline. “This is my therapy and in taking care of myself I was able to take care of my community, the people that I love. When you do what you love it’s never work.”
Ava’s Lifeline
745 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn 11216.
https://avaslifeline.net/
917-966-5138
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