Nanay Paz Banaag-Marquez, a 57-year-old Filipina, arrived in Dubai 16 years ago and worked as a cleaner for a French couple in Umm Suqeim. Known as ‘Nanay Paz’ in the community, she now owns and operates four pastry shops across the UAE. Her first shop in Satwa gained popularity due to the long queues outside, especially during the holiday seasons.
Nanay Paz’s cheesecake has become a sensation on TikTok, with videos highlighting the worth of the Dh13 solo tub and the Dh55 round cake. Despite not having the funds to start a business, she relied on her diligence to succeed. She started her business in her employer’s residence by making and selling pastries to supplement her monthly income as a cleaner.
In 2014, Nanay Paz began promoting her pastry business online and it became a massive hit. After a year of running her side hustle, she was already able to decline her salary from her employer. Her dedication paid off, and she was able to regularly send money home, prompting her employer to stop paying her. Even after her employer left for France in 2021, Nanay Paz continued paying the rent for the villa she lived in.
Opening her first brick-and-mortar pastry shop in Satwa in December, Nanay Paz borrowed money and received financial support from her brother. Within three years, she managed to open three more pastry shops in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Al Ain. Her fifth branch is set to open in Deira in October, making it her biggest pastry shop. Nanay Paz takes pride in her popular pastries, such as cheese cake, cassava cake, and purple yam cake, and employs 46 people, mostly fellow Filipinos.
Managing her growing business, Nanay Paz brought her relatives from the Philippines to help. Her daughter Jamaica Mae assists her in business operations, while her eldest daughter Patrice Marie and youngest son John Patrick pursue their careers in the Netherlands and the Philippines, respectively. Despite her success, Nanay Paz remains hands-on in her shops, choosing to wear her apron and personally preparing ingredients for her cakes. Her dedication and hard work have paid off, with customers often queuing up at her shops, especially during holidays like Christmas and New Year.
