The gourmet pastry bouquet concept started in 2014 when Teaneck, New Jersey businessman Moaaz Koshul was at a loss for a good Mother's Day gift. "My mom loves flowers but after a few years of the same, you want something new, you know?" said Moaaz.

A man with a sweet tooth, Moaaz always enjoyed baking as a hobby. "From scratch, I've made strawberry shortcakes, blueberry muffins, mini cheesecakes, and a few other things here and there. The cheesecakes are probably my favorite." So he approached his father for advice, and Ahmad Koshul's 20-plus years in the floral and gifting industry helped provide the inspiration for the first Gardenia's Fire bouquet.

“We took some cupcakes, cheesecakes, donuts, that kind of stuff, and arranged them like a centerpiece at one of my dad's old flower shops. It looked nice and the family loved it but we've definitely come a long way since then," Moaaz says with a smile.

After input from family and friends, Moaaz realized the potential of his gift. Working with professional bakers to improve his recipes and decorations, and his father to help design the bouquets, Gardenia's Fire was born. At http://www.gardeniasfire.com, gift givers can choose from 19 bouquet designs and a variety of gift boxes for local and nationwide delivery. Customers can also call 84-GARDENIA and inquire about custom designs, colors, and bouquets.

In May 2016, they expanded to a storefront inside the Bergen Town Center in Paramus where they offer the brownies, cheesecakes, and cupcakes found on the website as well as some items exclusive to the mall.

"We're always looking to add new and unique items to our line. I love to share. A new movie, a new experience, a new recipe, they're all better with friends and family around. Those moments stay with you. With this company, of course we're looking to make sales but more important to me is making a memorable and delicious gift to help celebrate those moments," says Moaaz.

Today, their gourmet pastry bouquets are prepared from scratch every day at their bakery in Passaic, New Jersey. Swiss buttercream is hand-piped into unique cupcake designs. Gourmet fudge brownies are individually dipped in chocolate and coated in crispy chocolate pearls to make their signature Gardenia's Berries. Bouquets are assembled piece by piece and hand delivered to customers' doorsteps.