In August 2022, Sammy Mila made her vision—of opening Des Moines’ first Asian-inspired bakery—a reality. Prior to taking over ownership of Crème, she was a culinary specialist/food stylist for 11 years, working with brands such as Better Homes and Gardens, Food & Wine, AllRecipes, EatingWell and more. Sammy grew up in a culture where desserts were always deemed “too sweet” and saw the need for lighter, fresher, and more flavorful desserts in the city. she is one of the youngest members of the le dames d’escoffier for the greater des moines area, has won the iowa restaurant association’s emerging leader award for 2023, fuse dsm’s rising start for 2024, and is a part of business records’ 40 under 40 class of 2024.

“awards aside, I really just want to do this right. my team is who keeps this boat going and they say ‘the rising tides lifts all boats’ so as we grow and succeed as a brand, so do all the people and brands we support.”

In addition to cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other classic Midwestern bakery items, the Crème menu now features a wide variety of globally-inspired flavor options, as well as milk bread loaves, buns and rolls.

She supports over a dozen local vendors in her storefront to help build community and provide a consistent space for other amazing creatives to grow.