Meet Karen Belton | Owner/Pastry Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Belton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work-life balance is very important to me, which is why starting a family-owned business has been a top priority for me and my husband. I am a self-taught baker and I have worked my way up over the years. I started off baking cakes for our girls’ birthdays from there I started selling cakes on Craigslist, to working as a cake decorator, until I eventually moved my way up to being a Pastry Chef. The only problem with working for a company was I had no control over my own schedule, I was working long hours and weekends, which left me exhausted when I finally did have time to spend with my family. Now with our own business, we manage our own schedules and are able to spend a lot of quality time with our children.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets us apart is the attention to detail that goes into everything we do. One of the things we are most proud of is our life-size gingerbread houses, they are so fun to create and build and once they are completed we love seeing people’s reactions. Getting to where I am now was not easy, it took a lot of hard work and convincing from my husband that it was okay to take chances and fail. I have learned that there is nothing I can not do, especially with the support of my family. I would like the world to know that Belton Gourmet Desserts is 100% family-owned and we love what we do and the customers we serve.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of our favorite places in Riverside to eat is Tio’s Tacos. They have delicious Mexican food and it is so much fun to walk around and look at all the creative things they have built. One of our other favorite places to visit is The Heritage House on Magnolia Ave. We have gone to do the tour around the house several times and have also enjoyed their tea parties in their wonderful garden.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband! I would not be in the position I am in now if it wasn’t for him. He has been my number-one fan from the beginning. If it wasn’t for his support, encouragement, and constant building me up to believe in myself, I wouldn’t have even pursued a career in pastries. Because of him, I have the confidence that our business will be successful.

Website: www,beltongourmetdesserts.com

Image Credits
Iris Preciado-Perez