Confidence and a love for cooking are two things that complement each other very well for Victoria Isabella Baquero Urrea, a six-year-old Venezuelan who has set out to make the best pizzas and cookies in the world.
Inspired by her mother Luz Urrea and her grandmother Solanda Camacho, Victoria contributes her ideas to the family-run restaurant in St James.
When she wakes up, Victoria prepares her own breakfast, a sign of her independence.
“I like cooking and learning something new every day,” she told Newsday Kids, as she made the dough to bake cookies.
[caption id="attachment_923052" align="alignnone" width="725"] Victoria Baquero Urreawith a basket of Papelon Baby cookies which she made. - PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
She explained how she organises the ingredients for the cookies.
“First I put everything in small cups with the quantities already measured and then put everything together and put them in the oven.”
Victoria also makes pizza.
“I love pizzas and the ones I cook are the best,” she said
[caption id="attachment_923050" align="alignnone" width="800"] Victoria Baquero Urrea mixes cookie dough. - PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
Her cookies and pizza are on the menu the restaurant offers. The cookies are packaged as Papelon Baby and sold to customers.
“We help her with the baking for safety, but the cookie and pizza ideas are hers,” said Luz Urrea, her mother.
She spoke about Victoria’s ability to learn.
“Since the age of three she came to the kitchen with me and asked me how to cook, then little by little she was taking interest and we have been teaching her the techniques.”
Victoria and her family arrived in Trinidad four years ago from the city of Maturín, Monagas state, Venezuela. Her father Raidan Baquero and her sister are in Argentina.
Seeing her family seek opportunities in this country, Victoria decided to help as well.
As a migrant, she values what she has learned.
[caption id="attachment_923051" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Victoria Baquero Urrea has ingredients laid out to bake cookies. - PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI[/caption]
“Victoria is a very intelligent girl, she speaks fluent English and Spanish thanks to the fact that she has been able to study here. She is always attentive to what is missing in the kitchen and to come up with ideas to make money,” said her mother.
Victoria will continue to help in the kitchen because her dream is to become a chef, and for this the support of her family is essential.
Outgoing, cheerful, always smiling, but very serious when it comes to putting on her mini-ch
