Mathew Rice, former executive pastry chef for Niche Food Group in Nashville, Tennessee, made headlines earlier this year when he worked with Dawn Foods as part of the company’s Donut Co-Creation Competition to develop a sourdough donut. The innovative donut mix was scaled up into a mix that launched in January.
Now, Rice is seeking a new kind of baking greatness with his own cookie delivery brand, Pink Door Cookies. Rice recently launched a Kickstarter to raise capital in order to open a brick-and-mortar bakery in Nashville and a nationwide cookie delivery service.
“My front door is pink, so I’d tell people to drive up and look for the pink door,” Rice tells The Riverfront Times in St. Louis, Missouri. “I love those two words together. The pink door is my landmark.”
Rice formed the idea for the brand after being furloughed in March. He began baking out of his home and selling cookies nearby. After finding success with this endeavor, he decided to start his own business.
“One time a while ago, I told a friend that if I could just bake cookies for the rest of my life, I’d be happy,” he says. “That really stuck with me, and when I was torn about what I should do next, I thought back on that.”
As of this writing, Rice has nearly reached his $15,000 goal for the Kickstarter. Donors will receive rewards ranging from a mystery grab bag of cookies for donations of $5 or more to a cookie buffet at a wedding or celebration for donations of $1,500 or more.