Meet the Owner and Baker
Hi, I'm Sara Ingvardsen. The owner, baker, and hands behind Scandi Bakery.
I was born and raised in Northern California surrounded by my incredible Scandinavian family. My great grandmother was the first to make the courageous move to the United States and brought her traditions with her. She was the baker of the family, even developing her own Christmas recipe book for generations after her to enjoy. This love for baking made it's way to my grandmother (my Famoo) and then to my dad (my best friend).
As a child I wanted to be exactly like my dad. If he was doing it, I wanted to do it. That extended to his magic in the kitchen. As a little girl, you'd often find me sitting on a stool in front of the stove learning from my dad. Tasting our experiments, learning about spices, flavor profiles, and how to create something delicious.
Food was always the center of everything for our family. It was time spent together in the kitchen collaborating on the chosen meal of the night, and then gathering together at the table to enjoy each other's company. Food and quality time were our love language. To be invited to that table was an honor, but it was an offer extended to others often. And if you were invited to that table, you were family now.
Starting with my grandparents, hosting and serving others were built into the family mantra. How to set a table properly, how to pair a delicious wine or cocktail with the meal, timing the meal properly to serve hot coffee and dessert, and how to make someone feel welcome.
In 2020 I made a leap of faith and moved to Florida in the middle of the pandemic. I was ready for something new. I wanted to take on an adventure and I thought Florida and the room a friend of mine had for rent would be a good start. Within 3 weeks I had sold and donated most of my belongings and shipped my car out to meet me at my new home. I had no idea what was waiting for me but while watching my car in California be loaded onto the truck for shipping I said to my mom, "I have a feeling someone is waiting for me there."
5 months into living in Florida I met my now husband Seaborn. The man I never shut up about because he fulfilled everything I ever dreamt about in a husband as a little girl. The teddy bear with a heart of gold and a drive to be the biggest supporter of the people he loves.
In 2023, after years of complaining of being homesick, missing my Scandinavian family and access to Scandinavian foods that the West Coast offers, Seaborn challenged me to do something about it. What about a bakery? What about introducing Swedish baking to our community? After initially shutting him down arguing I could never be good enough to do something like that, the idea brewed. A week later, I had a business name, logo, and menu to present him when he got home from work one day.
What started as a small idea to appease my homesickness, eventually became Scandi Bakery; a way to share the flavors I grew up around while putting my own spin on them. Every bun and seasonal bake is made by me in small batches, with a lot of care for the details. Some of my recipes are inspired by my Swedish baking traditions passed down through my family, while others come from my own experience, travels, and the flavors that simply make me happy.
My hope is to create the kind of place where food gives people a reason to slow down, gather, and enjoy being together. I want Scandi to bring you a sense of warmth and Scandinavian coziness right here in Central Florida.
Scandi is meant to be something you look forward to; a little gathering, a favorite seasonal bun, a conversation with someone familiar, and some delicious pastries to bring home and share. That's why our menu changes with the seasons and our bakes are made in limited quantities. We want to be a special experience for you, not just a pastry.
Our motto is no matter who you are, there is always a place for you at our table.
