Emily Shaw was born and raised just outside of Atlanta, in Chamblee. She attended Chamblee High School, and went on to study art at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York before returning to Georgia and earning a degree in Biology at the University of Georgia. After graduation, she decided to pursue her love for culinary arts and began learning how to bake while working at home.made. Over the years, she worked at Condor Chocolates and Dinner Party as a pastry chef. In 2019, Emily launched Sun Cat Sweets, a micro-bakery, initially just selling cookies to friends and family then expanding into a monthly pastry box, which customers can sign up for to receive an assortment of fresh pastries. After taking a break, Emily started selling pastry boxes once again in December 2022, and decided to pick the business back up. In addition to running Sun Cat Sweets, Emily works as a brewer at Figment Kombucha in Athens. She also is involved with the Women Owned Athens group. She lives with her boyfriend, Nick, and their cat, Luna.
What do you love most about the work you do?
I really like giving people treats. I have a couple customers who when they get their box they tell me “this is the highlight of my week, I’m so excited.” That really keeps me going, especially when things go wrong– like I’m prepping a million things, and something’s going wrong, but I remember that people are so excited to get these pastries. I want to give them a moment where they don’t have to think about anything, and then they eat something really tasty and that’s all they’re thinking about and it’s a little moment of joy. I also love when people come and pick up a box and they’re like “oh my god, I love this specific item that you haven’t done in a while” and we have that little moment.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do in and around Athens?
We go out to eat a lot. We go to Seabear fairly regularly, I really like Seabear. I personally love Little City Diner for breakfast, which is my favorite meal. They have really amazing specials. And not food related, but lately I’ve been going a lot to Hidden Gem, the new bar. It’s so cool. It feels really like a neighborhood place. It’s kind of tucked away so it seems pretty local. Even when it’s busy there’s always space. Other than that, I walk on the Greenway almost every day, I roller skate, and play D&D with friends in my off time.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
There’s so many. I really have wanted to go to South Korea and Japan for a long time. My parents have been to Japan twice and when they talk about it I alway get jealous. I really love the food. I really want to go to Hokkaido when it’s snowy there. I’d love to camp and see nature in Japan. With South Korea, I also just love the food and would love to go to Jeju Island which has tons of spas and lots of seafood there. It’s mostly food oriented reasons.
Do you have a favorite book, or one you find yourself referencing or rereading often?
I really love American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I reread the unabridged version all the time. I don’t know what it is, it’s just a really great story. I love mythology and I love all the different myths that fit in there. He’ll talk about a character and I’ll wonder about the original story, like which god or goddess it’s referencing. I try to get everyone to read it. Other than that, I’m constantly reading cookbooks. A lot of my cookbooks are super dog-eared and full of notes because I use them as reference books.
Do you have a favorite movie?
Empire Records is one of my favorite movies ever. It’s a comfort watch for me. I was obsessed with it as a kid and it never really went away. It’s kind of a perfect movie. I also love Call Me By Your Name, I rewatch that a lot. That one’s a little controversial nowadays, but I think it’s a great growing up story for the main character.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Know your worth. I think that’s the thing I’ve picked up the most when getting into situations where people haven’t treated me with the respect I should have had. I’m glad I know it now having had those experiences, because I probably wouldn’t have figured that out without going through it.
What message would you put on a billboard?
I would say a picture of a fried egg with “We love egg” on it because I just really love eggs. I think billboards should be fun because, on 316 going to Atlanta there’s that billboard that says “JESUS” and on the other side “COMING SOON” and that was such a clever billboard and it still makes me smile every time I see it.
If you could have lunch with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and where?
I don’t think I’d want to talk to a famous person. I just want to have lunch with my friends on a patio in the sun eating a lot of little snacks and cheese and meat and crackers and cocktails.
If you could see any band or any show, anywhere, anytime, who would it be and where?
I would love to have seen the Dead Boys at CBGB.
What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word “home”?
A fire in the fireplace, my mom cooking something, and a comfy sweater.
