SDTC: Tell us your story! When did you decide to start your businesses and how did the idea come about?

Tori Vaccher: I started out in theatrical set design with no intention of starting my own business. When I decided to become vegan, I started “veganizing” all the family recipes I knew I couldn’t live without. I started very small, baking for me, family, and friends, and then did a couple weddings, all from home, for people who wanted to eat similarly. They genuinely loved what I was making, and I started thinking about pursing this passion professionally. Between that time and opening our doors was about two years of planning, trial, and error. And when we did open, I had no idea how busy we’d be — I started out with my ingredients in mason jars, before quickly realizing I’d be spending most of my time refilling them if I didn’t reorganize quickly!

SDTC: What can we expect from Tori’s Bakeshop this year at Gluten Free Garage?

TV: It’s always a challenge for us to decide what to bring, especially as so many other brilliant gluten-free bakers, like Bunner’s and Kelly’s Bake Shoppe, also attend. This year we plan to focus on the gluten-free products for which we’ve become especially known: donuts, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, loaves of bread, and our hickory smoked coconut ba “con.”

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What is the most rewarding aspect of owning Tori’s Bakeshop?

TV: The most rewarding aspect of owning and running Tori’s Bakeshop is the creative relationship we build within the community, and we are fortunate to be a part of so many different communities. With what we make, and how we choose to make it, we can affect tangible, positive change, whether it’s as simple as a warm bevvie on a rainy day, or an allergen-friendly donation to a local school, or the mutual support of other local, independent businesses and organizations. It is unbelievably rewarding to feel welcome in all these relationships we’re building, especially when we are operating from our most authentic nature.

Gluten Free Garage is Toronto’s original pop-up marketplace of all things deliciously gluten-free, and is going down on Nov 9th, 2014! You can buy tix and check out there vendors HERE!