Advertisement

Criminologist-turned-baker serves up criminally delicious sweets

Click to play video: 'NDG’s DoughNats making its mark'
NDG’s DoughNats making its mark
WATCH ABOVE: An upscale doughnut shop in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is celebrating one year in business and as Global’s Billy Shields reports it all started as a leap of faith by a working mom – Nov 3, 2017

Nathalie Shtern was at an impasse. The mother of five children, Shtern —  a licensed criminologist — was looking to change careers after her third child.

“I wasn’t really that excited about going back into my field,” she told Global News.

Three years ago, she decided to go to culinary school.

The result of all that hard work? An upscale doughnut shop on Décarie Boulevard called “DoughNats,” which is a play on her name.

Story continues below advertisement

“I just went in head first, heart first, and hoped for the best,” she said.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Baking doughnuts, she said, was the aspect of cooking she found the most rewarding.

READ MORE: Montreal Tim Hortons museum opens in an unlikely place

The shop creates different lines of bite-size doughnuts set to roughly match the seasons.

One of Shtern’s most popular doughnuts is the True-doh named for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. According to Shtern, his office ordered three dozen recently through a proxy.

Part of the business wholesales to cafes and pastry shops in Montreal, while part of the business sells to individuals, with the minimum order being a half-dozen for $10. DoughNats also creates vegan, gluten-free and baked doughnuts for those with allergies or health concerns.

Story continues below advertisement

A Global News reporter asked how the business could thrive in such a unique niche — bite-sized doughnuts.

“I think I realized why — we’re delivering happiness. They’re little bites of happiness.”

The next season of doughnut types is set to come out next week.

Sponsored content

AdChoices