Malby's Venezuelan-Dominican Bakes

0:00It's May 1st. I'm Corey with the story, and this is Hartford News Today, Local News Powered by AI. Maldi Artisan Bread and Pastries opened last May in New Haven's Westpill neighborhood. Chef and owner, Maldi Rojas, runs this spot Friday through Sunday, baking fresh sourdough, and Venezuelan treats from scratch every day of the week. She kicks off around 3.30 a.m., mixing dough and firing up the oven for that perfect rise. Rojas craft specialties like kachitos, soft rolls stuffed with ham and bacon, drizzled in vanilla syrup. These crowd pleasers draw in the Latino community, sparking word of mouth buzz after folks taste flavors from home they have not had in years. Her passion stems from childhood in Venezuela, where her dad brought warm bread daily to her and her seven siblings. With degrees in biology and accounting back home, Rojas views baking as pure science, precise measurements, and reactions. She moved to the U.S. in 2017, starting in a Miami bakery, then landing in Chicago at

1:00an Argentine spot where she met her wife Carla from. The Dominican Republic, they shifted to New Haven for Carla's medical career. Now in a cozy micro bakery on Wally Avenue, Rojas blends Venezuelan and Dominican touches, taking menu ideas from Instagram like chorizo danishes, or passion fruit mango tarts. The small space limits options, but amps up that irresistible fresh bread aroma customers rave about. Her wife pushed her to name it malbi, owning her unique fusion with pride. Rojas says solid support is key for entrepreneurs, embrace the fear, push through, and chase those dreams anyway.