Rebecca Moesinger, chef-owner of 45 Surfside in Nantucket, Massachusetts, says that the best promotion you can have for your business is to send out each item with the hopes that it will be the best thing your customer has ever tasted.

“If you’re not aiming to amaze, you’re missing out on a marketing opportunity,” she says. “Customers know when you put all of your love and passion into your work.”

Start your own trends by looking in places others might not, she recommends. “The spring season’s cake trends might not be inspired by the cake magazines. Try looking at bridal gowns, popular venues and florist shops. Trends in relevant industries might help bakers predict what might be the next trend in wedding cakes.”

For example, she suggests looking at 1980s fashion. Look at the wedding gowns of that time and compare them to the wedding cakes. Both are just over the top, intricately detailed, conservative and traditional. As for today’s style, the dress is lightly adorned with lace, beading. The cake is equally as simple and elegant.

Early lessons

The award-winning Boston pastry chef became her family’s dedicated cook when she was in the sixth grade after her mother returned to work after raising eight children.

“My mother had to take the 2-10 shift and there was no one to cook dinner so I decided to take on the task,” Moesinger says.

She remembers her parents gave her $5 per meal, which was generous at the time. Each night once the dishes were done, she says she worked about four hours, but she loved cooking and considers herself lucky to have discovered her passion at such a young age.

“It was scary at first but after a while I was able to get a delicious meal on the table every night. In retrospect I imagine there were some not-so-tasty attempts but each night my father thanked me,” she says.

Today, the website of Moesinger’s new bakery and café on Nantucket declares that she and her partners take the same care crafting each salad and sandwich as they would cooking for their own families. 45 Surfside serves a variety of foods, including gourmet breakfast and lunch sandwiches with the finest cheeses, fresh-baked breads and island-grown fruits and vegetables.

Examples include prosciutto and ricotta with house-pickled cherry peppers and basil olive oil, or a fried egg sandwich dressed with fresh avocado and tomato, olive oil and cheddar.

Desserts on stage

But the pastries and desserts are where customers can expect 45 Surfside to really shine.

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a degree in hospitality and going to work in a restaurant, Moesinger’s trajectory included two years as garde manger at The Park Plaza and another two years in The Ritz Carlton’s pastry department, where she decided to pursue a career as a pastry chef.

She returned to Massachusetts and opened the celebrated Konditor Meister bakery in Braintree, which she owned and operated for 25 years and where she became regionally famous for custom and special occasion cakes.

Three years ago, she sold her shares in Konditor Meister to become a pastry instructor at Le Cordon Bleu’s Cambridge location. All the while, she nurtured a dream that she’d one day move to Nantucket, where as a child she spent part of each summer with family friends. Her location on the bike path outside of Nantucket’s busy downtown appeals to people on their way to the beach or locals taking their kids to and from the nearby schools.

Moesinger has been baking with The Perfect Purée for six years and keeps a variety of flavors in the freezer, so she can fill any custom request. She appreciates them because they’re not too sweet and their vibrant colors complement her desserts.

Moesinger says she hopes to teach cooking and baking classes on Nantucket with The Perfect Purée, too.

“The flavors are delicious and allow us to create many different flavor profiles that customers love,” she says