Madam Speaker, I am so happy today to be able to share the good news story of Raufikat Oyawoye-Salami, a Milton resident who was recently crowned the season four winner of The Great Canadian Baking Show. Raufikat wowed the judges with a combination of natural talent and incredible flavours, which were inspired by her time growing up in her mother's kitchen in their home of Nigeria.
A proud mother of two, she loves baking for her family, and she sees it not only as a way to stay connected to her roots, but also as a way to share her Nigerian heritage with friends and neighbours. When she is not baking tasty treats, she works as an IT support engineer, a background which she says gives her the scientific precision that was crucial to her success. Having come to Milton in 2017, Raufikat was delighted to find herself in such a diverse community where she could connect with other Nigerian and Muslim diaspora while being able to share in the many cultures of our community. It was through sharing her baking with neighbours that Raufikat was able to share her culture.
While unfortunately I have not been able to try one of her treats, I know Milton is proud to call her one of our own. We are very fortunate to have her, and we are excited to see what she does next. I congratulate Raufikat on winning The Great Canadian Baking Show.