Sweet Escape Pastries' founder, Melissa Degen, acquired a taste for fine pastries and desserts early in life from her favorite chef:  her grandmother.  After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Melissa worked as a design engineer, architect and manager in the fast paced environment of the high tech world. In early 2004, Melissa and her daughter Ashley were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Melissa had the typical, classic symptoms of Celiac Disease which included fatigue, joint pain and infertility. After going on a gluten-free diet, all symptoms went away quickly and her Celiac son Samuel was born 9 months later. As a Celiac family, they soon realized that there were not many gluten-free options available on the market. As an admitted chocoholic, Melissa got tired of missing the most important meal of the day: dessert!

After being downsized from a Fortune 100 company, Melissa took her re-training money and completed extensive pastry arts classes at the Culinary Institute of the Rockies. She also networked with chefs worldwide in order to create exquisite delicacies for her and her two Celiac children.  Realizing her children went gluten-free so early in life, Melissa dedicated her life to ensuring that they would experience the taste of truly heavenly pastries.  Her background in mathematics, physics, and chemistry gave her the attention to detail needed to make products of the highest quality.  Friends and neighbors loved Melissa’s new creations, and word quickly spread of this incredible new source of quality pastries and desserts. In order to better serve this great demand for superior taste, Melissa decided to build a business that provided enchanting delights for people around the world.

With Melissa as "Head Chef", and her daughter Ashley as "Lead Food Critic", the business started off with a bang in 2006. As Melissa and the two children are extremely sensitive to gluten, all products are made in a dedicated gluten-free certified commercial kitchen with dedicated ventilation.  Since its inception, Sweet Escape Pastries, LLC has led the way in breaking new ground for taste and quality among the options available to gluten, wheat or nut intolerant people.  Additionally, Melissa and her employees continue to focus on giving back to the community as avid members, volunteers and sponsors for the Celiac Sprue Association and the American Diabetic Association’s Tour De Cure Colorado.

Sweet Escape Pastries is committed to attention to detail, understanding your needs, and professional quality service. You may not have chosen to be gluten / wheat / nut free, but Sweet Escape Pastries is committed to providing you exceptional choices when it comes to premium pastry and dessert products.