Meet Mili
Hi there!
I’m Milissa (Mili) Takashima.
Itโs fun to share the joy in my work through custom dessert catering via Mili’s Sweets .
Hereโs some of my storyโฆ
Becoming an expert baker started from a challenge that grew into building this little blessing of a business – something far beyond anything I could have imagined. When I discovered that my precious baby had severe, life-threatening peanut and tree nut allergies, my worry for his safety fueled me to take action. Proper food labeling laws didn’t exist yet, so I began developing my own recipes at home. Entirely self-taught, I found a calling in baking while being a stay-at-home mom with two little ones. With a lot of work and dedication – and the encouragement of friends and family – I took the leap to become a full-fledged professional.
Mili’s Sweets was established
Back in 2010 (when cupcakes were trending), Miliโs Sweets won the title โBest Cupcakes in San Diegoโ on a local TV news channel. It was an incredible opportunity to put myself out there and grow. From 2015โ2018, I was at retail while still catering, with a shop-in-shop storefront in Vista. From 2018 through today, Iโm back in my comfort zone of custom dessert catering with production from a commercial kitchen facility in San Marcos.
Over the years, my hands have made hundreds of cakes. Each year, I create thousands of dessert servings. I am constantly working at developing my own recipes, elevating what I already know, and cultivating relationships that span the many reasons we celebrate with dessert.
nut-free from a bakery was not an option, so I made my son his little train cake
start-up tasting event at my home for friends and family
2010 voted “best cupcakes in San Diego” through local tv news program
2011 public sampling with my kids
2011 at UTC with volunteer family and friends, donating 100% of cupcake sales for Japan earthquake victims
2015 Mili’s Sweets at retail with MiaBella grand opening
in 2025 – 15 years of doing business as Mili’s Sweets
preferred vendor in San Diego County
For several years, Miliโs Sweets has been a preferred vendor for several venues throughout town. I am a go-to in my community for wedding work, bespoke cakes, and curated dessert tables, with an extensive menu of small-batch, custom-recipe desserts that are always made free of peanuts and nuts, with both celiac-safe gluten-free, dairy-free, dye-free, and vegan options. Miliโs Sweets offers delivery service, convenient pickup at the parking lot of our San Marcos commercial kitchen facility, or fully catered and serviced dessert tables. Most of our work is fulfilled for weddings and events, but I still love fulfilling single/small orders.
floristry
In 2019, I expanded my work-life by establishing a second vendor business, Glorified Hobby florist services. Through my passion for floral design and weddings, I partner with my dear friend, master florist, and long-time collaborator, Karina (aka Karen) Crawford. Our team of trusted assistants helps us fulfill full-scale florist services and installations for weddings and events in San Diego County and beyond. This has been a dream come to fruition for us and we truly love what we do!
joy in hands-on creating
More recently I’d realize how important and special the time in the kitchen at home has been with my mom – especially in documenting her Italian heritage cooking. When I was a child, she wouldnโt let me help in the kitchen at all! All I could do was watch and admire. As adults, we have been more like sisters, as she happily showed me the ropes of the flavors I grew up loving. Learning with my best friend has been a most fulfilling part of my life.
Some of my best memories revolve around good food. Over time, Iโve learned a lot, and genuinely love sharing my personal recipes on my food and and recipe journal at glorifiedhobby.com. My writing feels like a little time capsuleโa small gift to my family, and for anyone curious about how I create, whether itโs through work or my home kitchen. Make and bake with me! For more behind the scenes, I share clips on the Glorified Hobby YouTube Channel.
in the background
Family is where my heart is. The loves of my life are my husband, our grown-up kids, our precious grand-baby, and my mom – (my heart) and whom I have the privilege to now care for in our home. I miss my dear dad, who was a biggest fan of my work. He passed away to cancer in 2016. If you can believe it, he gave me my maiden name: Sweet (some things are meant to be)! When I have spare time, I volunteer with local high school students, work on photography and content creation. Outside this space, I want to be at the beach or in the mountains. Iโm like a child when it comes to nature and to seeing the world. Taking big trips is an amazing gift, but I feel that same excitement while exploring on a local hike right here, in my hometown, and throughout our beautiful state of California.
Before any of this small business work, and before I was a wife and mom, I had a several-year career as vice president of marketing and public relations, managing licensees worldwide for lifestyle and apparel brands. I am a first-generation American (on my mom’s side), and first generation college grad within my immediate family, earning degrees in journalism and marketing from San Diego State University.
If you have questions or comments about any of my work or notes shared here, please reach out to me.
Thanks for being here. Take care,
