Growing up in Argentina, Mica Calle was raised vegetarian and got into cooking at a young age - inspired by the talented women in her family.
“It’s been my passion since I can remember, and I always knew that patisserie was what I wanted to do.”
Five years ago, Calle moved from Argentina to New Zealand. While working as a pastry chef at various cafés and restaurants, she began to realise the potential of plant-based baking and was amazed at how few options were available.
Her fiancé and fellow vegetarian, Chris, shares a cheffing background and in April 2021, whilst still working full time, the pair embarked on a weekend farmers market stall venture, offering home delivery and cooking out of their certified home kitchen. It took just two weeks for Calle to see the business’ promise and she handed in her resignation to commit to the growing bakery.
Covid-19 lockdowns almost caught the budding business short. Markets were shut down and Calle was forced into a delivery only option, but things took off as locked down vegans still sought out delicious baked goods.
The growth allowed Calle to sign for a “beat-up premises” on Lambton Quay, and she and Chris went to work. In a good old Kiwi effort, the pair spent four months renovating the kitchen and retail areas with the help of their lovely parents and friends, working physical 100-hour weeks to pay the bills and save as the makeover took place.
“A silly amount of work in a short amount of time, but a dream come true!”
Belén Vegan Bakery’s retail space opened to the public in March 2022. Calle now works there full time, alongside Chris and eight other amazing staff members.
At Belén, Calle takes traditional, beloved pastry items and recreates the techniques with the best plant-based alternatives. Thinking outside of the box and having fun means the team is consistently innovating completely new and extravagant items. The bakery has a fortnightly menu, keeping customers entertained and proving there are no limits to what can be created with plant-based products.
In her kitchen, Calle likes to create a laid-back and relaxed environment, recognising that working in hospitality can be challenging. Believing that the happier her staff are, the better the product will be, the pastry chef’s laid-back approach ultimately creates the best experience for Belén’s customers.
Calle is naturally a very creative and imaginative person, and in her persistence will try things a thousand times to get Belén’s items tasting and looking exactly the way she wants them. This persistence pays off in the smiles on customers faces and the grand feeling from having built an ethical establishment that truly cares.
Belén Vegan Bakery creates completely artisan croissants - by hand without a pastry sheeter. Traditionally a dairy-heavy pastry, there are many variables, tips and tricks to master and it was a big challenge to recreate them using plant-based butters. Rolling nearly 1000 croissants every week, the owners are kept fit and healthy and customers are kept happy. The vegan croissants catch people’s attention as they are fresh and unnoticeably vegan.
“You can taste the heart and soul we put into creating them.”
What really flies out the door though, are Belén’s donuts.
“Wellington is a donut city - it’s crazy!”
Calle creates ring donuts, filled donuts and cronuts in distinct flavours like lemon, raspberry and pistachio; chocolate, rhubarb and red berry cream; and chocolate biscoff.
For the future of Belén Vegan Bakery, Calle hopes to keep people smiling by increasing accessibility to delicious, sustainable and affordable plant-based alternatives.
Outside of the bakery, she and Chris enjoy the outdoors, spending time in the sun with friends, and activities such as painting and yoga. She recently got into callisthenics.
Lucky to have a team that get on so well, Calle spends her time with her staff in the tonne of other amazing restaurants and bars that Wellington has to offer.
To those looking to get into the patisserie world, Calle suggests Google as there is a heap of great resources online to get anyone started. Her dream started with $1500 and a certified home kitchen, proving if you love what you do working hard towards your dream is all part of the fun!
Belén Vegan Bakery is located on Lambton Quay, Wellington. Find out more at belenveganbakery.com
