Lutunji has loved baking sweets her whole life — it's her love language. She loves to bless people with treats. Since 2018, she has been selling scrumptious treats, like her famous Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Harriet’s Escape Peach Cobbler, and Coconut Macaroons. Many of her desserts are vegan and gluten-free!
But Lutunji’s Palate is not just about amazing treats — she and her team bake with community and people in mind. She has partnerships in the community that allow her to invite local teens (StepUP), young adults (Emerge), and men returning to work after incarceration into the kitchen to learn about baking, running a business — and life-skilling. Lutunji’s Palate has already outgrown two commercial kitchens! In order to expand her business and her commitment to the community, she needs a much bigger space — that’s where you come in. You can be a part of building Lutunji’s Palate Bakery & Cafe. She already has a beautiful space at the new Gatsby building at 1400 Park Ave S, Minneapolis, MN. Your support will help build out the kitchen, the bakery case and counter, and the seating. Lutunji is working with retired General Mills Executives to optimize operations and kitchen equipment needs, ensuring a world-class kitchen space.
You see, building this bakery is about so much more than making and selling delicious gourmet desserts. It’s about bringing more people into the bakery to life-skill — and supporting the programs that foster community. We invite you to make a contribution today. Together we will build a great resource for the neighborhood and community. Thank you!
As you wait for the Bakery and Cafe to open, you can find them in grocery stores (North Market and many of the local Lunds and Byerlys, Specialty Foods), farmers markets (Farmer’s Market Annex and Northeast Farmer’s Market and The Plant Based Pop Up), and restaurants (Handsome Hog, Pimento, and The Gnome).
