Local Chef, Author Shares Story of Triumph and Perseverance

The story of Redlands chef-turned-author, Angela Brooks Van Niel, begins in her custom-made kitchen in Redlands. It's there she shares the story of how her business came to be and how her baked goods are gaining traction in the town she calls home. To understand how she got to where she is today, it's necessary to travel back further to her real beginnings in Jacksonville, Fla. — more specifically, inside the kitchen where her grandmother Mamie taught her only granddaughter, at the ripe age of 6, traditional and hearty Southern cooking. After graduating high school, Van Niel took her love of cooking, this family tradition, and the life lessons she learned along the way, to travel across the country to California where she remained after meeting her husband, Pieter Van Niel. Van Niel, who holds both a bachelors and masters degree in theater arts, spent 25 years building a life and family in California. Health issues that sparked in 2007 though, were cause for concern. One day in 2008, Van Niel, who ran a successful real estate company, fell into a coma, in which she remained for four months. Doctors diagnosed her with two rare cancers: Paraneoplasic Syndrome and Lymphoma Type B. The family went through years of doctor's visits and misdiagnoses until she finally met Dr. Amy Pierce at UCLA Medical Center, who, with the help of a Pennsylvania-based specialist, would finally diagnose Van Niel and set her on a treatment plan and a path to recovery. It was this treatment, her faith and the support of her family, that allowed Van Niel to fight her way back to health. Post-treatment, it was during her time at home that Van Niel contemplated her life. That was when she made the decision to get back in touch with her roots: she would tell the story of love and cooking she learned as a young girl in her grandmother's kitchen. The subsequent book of recipes became her first published book: "Simply Fancy Cuisine." The book, which became her therapy, also helped the family find a new beginning. Pieter shared he's “very accepting of his wife's delightful treats." With “Simply Fancy Cuisine” making its way to businesses in the Redlands area, Van Niel would go on to cater for “Restaurant Impossible”, when the reality makeover show's crew recently helped recreate the Mills Creek restaurant. Producer Marc Summers, famous host of Nickelodeon’s "Double Dare" and producer of "Restaurant Impossible," was so entranced by Van Niel's recipes that he offered her further catering opportunities for the production company. Businesses in Redlands would also take on her recipes: local baking supply business Everything Sweet sells daily fresh cupcakes using Van Niel's recipes, selling her Chocolate Coma and Southern Style Humming Bird cupcakes, both of which gained local popularity. Still, "it's quality, not quantity that's most important," for Van Neil, she said. "These recipes are very dear to me and I don’t want to see them just being commercialized. My time with my grandmother and these recipes are my special dedications to her. I am very careful about who I give my products to. I have to be convinced you will care for them the way they need to be to insure the quality and the name behind them.” Connie Johnson, president of the Paralegal Association, said the cupcakes sold at Everything Sweet are "amazing." "I am a huge fan of the Hummingbird cake," she said. "It is incredible. Through a mutual friend I found out about [Van Niel] and I used her for the paralegal association's educational conference and there was none of her food left at the end of the day. She makes it so easy to get such amazing, fresh, and moist food.” Within the next year, Van Niel plans to open her own café. ”I decided to take of control my destiny," she said. "The purpose of beginning all of this was for that reason — taking control of my life — and doing only the things that makes me and my family happy." And she has done as she set out to do. Her second book, “Simply Fancy Cuisine… Just Desserts”, has been published as well and both books are available on Amazon. In the meantime, Van Niel works from her home where she starts everyday with putting her faith first, appreciating her heritage, loving her family and putting it all into her fresh, daily baked goods, delivering them with love. [END] ORIGINAL ARTICLE The story of Angela Brooks Van Neil begins in her nice custom made kitchen located in Redlands. There she shared her heartfelt story of how her business came to be and how her delicious baked goods are making a mark for themselves in the traditional and conservative city of Redlands. Her story would begin in Jacksonville, Florida in the kitchen with her grandmother Mamie who would show her only granddaughter the traditional way of southern cooking and how to serve it with love. After graduating high school Angela would take this love, tradition and life lessons and embark on an adventure to California where she would remain after meeting the love of her life Pieter Van Niel. For twenty-five years they built their lives together and have lived in blissful happiness until a life changing event occur. Angela had a built a successful but stressful real estate company. Her time was in demand and the success would soon spiral out of control. In 2008, Angela fell into a sudden coma where she would remain for 4 months. Angela was diagnosed with two rare cancers Paraneoplasia Syndrome and Lymphoma Type B. Neither cancers are not linked to each other. She would see many doctors and be misdiagnosed numerous times until her arrival at UCLA Medical Center where she would meet Dr. Amy Pierce who along with a specialist from Pennsylvania would finally diagnose her and begin to give Angela the treatment she needed to fight the cancers. Along with the treatment, her faith, and with the support of the love her life she would fight her way back. After treatment and now at home Angela had time to contemplate what in her life she needed to fulfill. After experiencing such a scary moment in her life she would make a decision to only do things that would make her only happy and healthy. While sitting in her kitchen she would make the decision to reconnect with her roots and began to share with the world her Mamie lessons of love and cooking. With this idea she began writing the recipes her grandmother taught her. Pretty soon her first cookbook was born and soon published afterwards. “Simply Fancy Cuisine” would be Angela’s therapy and through this she and Pieter would find the joy of cooking to be a great addition to their wonderful new beginning and a sibling to their son, 23 year old Jonathon. When asked what he thought about his wife’s baking success Pieter proceeded to explain that sweets were never really his preference but he’s “very accepting of his wife delightful treats”. “Simply Fancy Cuisine” is making its way through businesses in the Redlands area. Angela would also cater for “Restaurant Impossible” when they were recreating the “Mills Creek” restaurant. Producer Marc Summers famous host Nickelodeon’s Double Dare and producer of Restaurant Impossible would not only beg for her recipes but offer her more opportunities of catering for the production company. More opportunities would come Angela’s way as well for example local baking supply business “Everything Sweet” located in Redlands would sell daily fresh cupcakes by Angela displaying her Chocolate Coma cupcakes and Southern style Hummingbird Cupcakes that are becoming a favorite among customers. However, Angela would turn down some business because as she stated “I am more concerned about quality not quantity. These recipes are very dear to me and I just don’t want to see them being commercialized. My time with my grandmother and these recipes are my special dedications to her. I am very careful about who I give my products to. I have to be convince you will care for them the way they need to be to insure the quality and the name behind them.” “Everything Sweet” is located in Redlands and they are suppliers of Angela’s cupcakes. The owners were speechless when it came to explaining how well the Hummingbird cupcake taste. “There are no words just mmmmm…” Erina would say. Part owners and couple Erina and Jeremy would confirm it was a delight working with Angela. Local President of the Paralegal Association Connie Johnson stated, “It is amazing! And, I am a huge fan of the hummingbird cake. It is incredible! Through a mutual friend I found out about her and I used her for the paralegal association educational conference and there was none of her food left at the end of the day. She makes it so easy to get such amazing, fresh, and moist food!” Within the next year Angela plans to open her own café. ”I decided to take of control my destiny. The purpose of beginning all of this was for that reason taking control of my life and doing only the things that makes me and my family happy.” And Angela has done just has she has set out to do. Her second book “Simply Fancy Cuisine… Just Desserts” has been published as well and both books are available on Amazon. In the meantime, Angela will be working out the comfort of her home where she starts everyday with putting her faith first, appreciating her heritage, loving her family, and putting it all into her daily fresh batch baked goods and delivering it with love to a family or business near you.