Highlights
- Reagan and Tania Juan spent majority of their relationship before marriage apart.
- Reagan strived to perfect his original bread recipes, studying each and every ingredient to make sure he achieved the perfect taste and texture.
- PanDeJuan has been the silver lining for the couple during the pandemic.
"When I got stood down last year because of the pandemic, my mind went immediately to bread. That thought took away the fear of losing my job. Instead, I thought of reviving PanDeJuan," pastry chef Reagan Juan shares.
More than a home bakery business, PanDeJuan is a collaborative partnership between Reagan and his wife Tania that began in Brisbane and was revived in Melbourne.
Tania and Reagan Juan Source: Reagan and Tania Juan
Perfect strangers
"Being a pastry chef or baker was always the goal. I did my apprenticeship and worked in Shangri-La Hotel in pastry. After a year, I worked in a cruise ship for three years and then applied to work in the US," Reagan shares.
While Reagan was waiting for his application to the US to push through, he took a much-needed holiday back home in the Philippines.
"Being a pastry chef or baker was always the goal." Source: Reagan Juan
"We met while he was on holiday," Tania shares, laughing, "Oh no! We're going to get found out - it was a random meeting. We met in Metrowalk [a mall] when we were both watching a band playing. He asked for my number and it progressed from there. We went from strangers to dating to having a long-distance relationship."
Reagan headed to the US and later on, to Japan for work. Tania, on the other hand, sought to progress her career in social work.
Reagan and Tania Juan Source: Reagan and Tania Juan
"I finished Anthropology in the University of the Philippines and worked as a research analyst in Ateneo; but I had dreams of moving to Australia and putting into practice what I learned. Luckily, I was able to get a tuition fee scholarship in the University of Queensland to study Master in Social Work," Tania shares.
"After a year of studying, Reagan and I decided to get married. A few months after our wedding, he moved to Brisbane as well."
The newlyweds Source: Reagan and Tania Juan
Brisbane beginnings
Before Reagan moved to Brisbane, the couple spent most of their relationship apart.
"Being a pastry chef, I had to get used to him being a perfectionist and an early riser. I, on the other hand, am a late-nighter and I like sleeping in," Tania laughs, admitting, "I think I've influenced him to like sleeping in too over the 10 years we've been married."
Over those 10 years, the couple have learned to lean on each other when times proved to be tough.
"When Tania had to study full-time, I earned money for the both of us. I worked in a cake factory and worked as a pastry decorator in the city. During the weekend, I would make pandesal and mamon," Reagan shares.
Over those 10 years, the couple have learned to lean on each other when times proved to be tough. Source: Reagan and Tania Juan
Pandesal proved to be a good source of additional income for the two.
"Our landlady was like a second mum to us. She bought Reagan a proper oven and mixer and helped us sell to other Filipinos. We were even supplying mamon regularly to a Filipino store. That's how PanDeJuan started," Tania shares.
"A classic story we always share is we only had 20 AUD left in our account; but because Reagan was selling his baked goods, we were able to survive."
Pandesal Source: Angelica Geli
Melbourne revival
Although the two enjoyed a good support system in Brisbane for two years, they opted to move to Melbourne when Tania couldn't find work after graduation
"All of my extended family in Australia are in Melbourne, so I applied for a job here. I found a job in social work dealing with children and families," Tania shares, adding, "Reagan had a good, stable job in Brisbane then; but when I said I found a job in Melbourne, without hesitation, he agreed to move."
With the emotional and mental demands of her profession, Tania often found herself tired and spent.
Although the two enjoyed a good support system in Brisbane for two years, they opted to move to Melbourne when Tania couldn't find work after graduation. Source: Reagan and Tania Juan
"We just always talked. She opens up to me and I try to motivate her as much as I can," Reagan says.
Tania agrees, adding, "Him being involved with pastry actually helped me a lot. Before we reactivated PanDeJuan, we were making fondant cakes. He baked and I decorated. It became therapeutic for me."
"To be honest, we didn't think we would be reviving our home bakery business. We were both doing full-time and were busy."
While Tania continued working full-time, Reagan found himself without a job when the pandemic hit.
While Tania continued working full-time, Reagan found himself without a job when the pandemic hit. Source: Reagan Juan
"I was working in cake and pastry manufacturing, but got stood down. Instead of looking at it as a bad thing, I decided on concentrating on perfecting my ensaymada recipe," Reagan shares.
"I've been working on my original recipe for years. I wasted so much ingredients trying to figure out how much to add and what I needed to change. I would get really frustrated at times because I couldn't achieve the cottony, pillowy texture I wanted.
"I would experiment with proofing. Sometimes, when it was hot, I would place it inside the car so the dough would rise. Until now, I adjust trying to make the breads perfect."
Nutella Ensaymada Source: Angelica Geli
While Reagan worked on perfecting their breads, Tania had to teach herself how to operate the business.
"I'm still working full-time so balancing work and the business can be tricky - responding to orders, deliveries, being forced out of my comfort zone and learning how to digitise the business and adapt," Tania admits.
"But despite the challenges, the pandemic has provided us with this opportunity. I love our offerings and the business has been a silver lining for us.
Pan de Coco Ensaymada Source: Angelica Geli
"Of course I'm there with him like he's always there with me. Whatever matters to him, matters to me - to us."
ALSO READ / LISTEN TO
READ MORE
Pinoy favourites: Ensaymada
READ MORE
Pinoy favourites: Mamon
