Owner + Maker + Athlete + Mom: Jenn Pereau
Sometimes a slice of cake will change your life.
I was at a raw vegan café in Austin, Texas, having dinner with my sister-in-law and my brother.
The meal was great, but the dessert was inspiring: An amazing slice of cheesecake that just
happened to be vegan. I said, “I have to make this for my friends back home.”
When I returned to Portland, I began experimenting in my kitchen, learning from Portlanders in
the restaurant community, and teaching myself. The dessert I wanted was vegan, gluten-free, and
minimally processed. Made from whole, organic ingredients - just fruits and nuts. With no
compromises on decadence, elegance, or flavor. At the time I was managing a vegan restaurant
and I thought our dessert offering s were lacking, especially after having been exposed to raw
desserts back in Texas. I bought a Vita-mix, and the Sweet Gratitude Cookbook. Soon I was
gifting my newly created desserts to friends and serving them at parties. It was great to see my
food bringing people together; providing a way to connect and a way to communicate. I loved
being a part of those connections, and I wanted to spread the love and joy to a wider community.
And so Rawdacious was born.
When my dear friend Karen opened Prasad, I started making them for the cafe, one at a time, in their kitchen, very early in the morning. They
sold well and soon I was making two and three at a time. My little hobby had become something so much more! Portland has a huge appetite
for tasty, healthy, and handcrafted foods, I did and have always felt that this little city is the perfect birthplace for this sweet little company.
Four years later I am working out of a wonderful certified kitchen in southeast. My desserts are featured in some of my favorite restaurants in
town, and I’ve served them at weddings, graduation parties, birthdays and showers. We’ve developed 100 recipes of our own, and started a line
of energy bars. I encourage you to try a few Rawdacious creations yourself. You just might fall in love with cake all over again.