When Tamara Turner founded Silver Spoon Desserts in her Aurora, Illinois, home, she poured all her focus and energy into pursuing her passion and along the way created opportunities for her children and her community.
“I started my business in 2017 because I heard the voice of what I am going to call God, tell me to do the cakes first. I had been looking, hoping, and dreaming, and trying to figure out what I am supposed to do with my life, and I was told, ‘do the cakes first,” Turner said in an interview with ABC 7.
Now, the dessert company has not only taken off — but it’s taken flight. American Airlines recently announced a partnership with Silver Spoon Desserts, which has begun serving the bundt cakes on all domestic flights between 900 and 1,499 miles.
The road to boarding American Airlines with her cakes was not an easy one though. When the opportunity came knocking, Turner didn’t even have an established brick-and-mortar, only her products. But with the resiliency and grit that most Black women have, Turner built a 16,000-square-foot facility in Chicago to accommodate the expected large orders from the airline.
With a platform to reach people everywhere, Turner’s mission goes beyond the delicious dessert. She wants to transform the meaning of “silver spoon” from a symbol of privilege to a symbol of transformation, equality, and freedom for all.
“Being a single mother is painful, and I know the struggle. I said you know what, I can give back to other single mothers by offering them a living wage. But I can also teach them, train them, go them up and help them to become economically sustainable through working with Silver Spoon Desserts,” said Turner.