When Jessica Pullara was a junior in high school she had a dream of owning and operating a bakery somewhere in downtown Tryon.
She imagined her mother and her working together just as they always had when they baked delicious cakes and pastries in the kitchen of their cozy home.

Back then Pullara considered those thoughts as nothing more than a fantasy.   Today, however, Pullara nears the completion of her degree program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical College. Her dream of opening her own bakery to be called “All Good Things” may soon be a reality.
Each day Pullara, 20, rises early and throws her books in the back of her 2009 Ford Focus and drives 50 minutes to A-B Tech, where she devotes seven hours to the Baking and Pastry Arts program which is accredited by the American Culinary Federation.
Pullara will earn an AAS (associate in applied science) degree while paying for her education through student loans.
Pullara, the youngest of four, has three other brothers and extremely supportive parents who each embrace their Italian heritage, faith, and the town of Tryon.
“I just love Tryon. It’s just a happy environment and not to be cliché, I’m in love with the mountains,” said Pullara.
Both Joe and Della Pullara are great cooks, according to Pullara.
“My father loves to cook Italian cuisine and my mother can cook anything,” said Pullara.
Pullara said that her mother once decorated the walls of her kitchen with more than 100 cake pans. She also reminisces about a large brown recipe book, which contains recipes for everything from apple butter to red-velvet cake.
Pullara said she wants to open her own bakery because she has a sweet tooth. She talks about working with her mother because the two complement each other well in the kitchen.
“My mother is a great person and I’m the procrastinator,” jokes Pullara.
Although Pullara is just starting out, her creations have already been noticed by many.  At Tryon’s second annual Beer Festival, Pullara sold 26 dozen cupcakes with icing made from maple and bits of bacon.
Stan Yoder, owner of Open Road Coffee in Tryon, recognized Pullara’s talents as well and has brought her on as an intern.
“Jessica has a natural gift for baking. You can tell that she connects with what she is baking.  She is very focused and adaptable to the methods and procedures of others.  She is also very dedicated for someone of her age,” said Yoder.
As a young entrepreneur Pullara understands the concept of taking a risk.
“It’s a huge risk opening a bakery in Tryon,” said Pullara.
However, the program offered at A-B Tech blends in valuable business courses along with sanitation safety courses titling Pullara as being Serve Safe Certified. Pullara’s final exam will be in the form of presenting a business plan for her very own bakery.   The triggers to opening her bakery include finishing school and the funding.
Armed with a passion, sweet tooth and a practical education, Pullara will have all of the necessary ingredients to make her dream a reality.  “All Good Things” may be taking future call-in and delivery orders in the near future.
For more information, contact Jessica Pullara at jpullara93@gmail.com.