I immigrated to the Bay Area with my mother and grew up in a tight-knit Chinese community. I went to college to be a doctor, lawyer or banker (I became a banker). My first exposure to eating at amazing restaurants was when I began working as a junior currency trader on the Bank of America trading floor. It was immediately apparent to me that I was working in the wrong industry. So, without any formal or informal training, I walked into Vertigo, a critically acclaimed restaurant at the base of the TransAmerica building, and asked for a job working in the pastry department. Then when Traci Des Jardins opened Jardiniere, I started working for her from the first night. I continued my on the job training to learn about flavor pairings, cheese, wines, and especially desserts.

After a year, I left the kitchen to work with my husband in our computer consulting business. Following several years of raising children and only cooking for my family and friends, I decided to go back to what I was passionate about. This is when I started C.C. Made.

I started with the Pistachio Caramel Corn and then the Bitter Caramel with Sea Salt. After further experiment and research, I developed several flavors and was able to make a flavorful and luxurious caramel. Slow cooked, hand wrapped, and using many organic and other fine ingredients, I slowly developed four flavors of caramels and two flavors of caramel corn that I am proud to take to the public.

Each batch of caramel corn is made with freshly popped organic popcorn from small local farms. The nuts are freshly roasted for each batch with the appropriate seasonings. The caramels are slow cooked with infused tea or the finest Bourbon vanilla beans or lightly dusted with the blushing Himalayan pink salt. Each piece is cut and wrapped by hand.

After working with my graphic designer cousin and my sommelier turned computer consultant husband as the official tasters, I came up with the current line. I hope you enjoy and savor each bite as much as I enjoy making it.

Cassandra Chen