After a house fire in 2021 destroyed her home and forced her business to pause, Tucson baker Mariel Montel is slowly rebuilding Tilted Halos, a vegan, gluten-free bakery rooted in a mission of second chances and community support.

Montel started Tilted Halos in 2016 as a cottage bakery serving vegan and gluten-free pastries. It began with a social justice mission of providing jobs for people returning home from prison.

“I was never a baker, it was never a hobby or an interest of mine,” Montel said. “(It's) an avenue for people who haven't worked in a while to just have something really easy going.”

The idea was inspired by an experience Montel had with her then-boyfriend, who had spent time in prison.

“Thats when I really got to see what the prison system was like,” Montel said. “And the added stress of being a person who’s trying to be sober, with a felony record and unable to find a home or a job.”

At the time, there were only a few bakeries that provided vegan or gluten-free options in Tucson, so when Montel’s best friend suggested she capitalize on her vegan baking skills, the vision for Tilted Halos was born.

Starting a cottage bakery is much different from opening a brick-and-mortar location, since all production takes place in the home of the business owner.

“It's actually not that difficult to start a cottage business,” Montel said. “It's not like you're jumping over major hurdles, it's pretty easy. It's just getting a business license, registering and getting your food handlers card.”

Going the cottage bakery route allowed Montel to get her name out there and make the business official, but it also meant all the startup money came out of her own pocket with no help from outside funders.

Montel focused on selling her pastries through custom orders and appearances at pop-ups and farmers markets. She prepared all the pastries herself, with her employees helping to sell them at events.

Montel employed a total of six people, all formerly incarcerated, who worked for her on and off during her run. She was mindful to create a judgment-free environment where people could be honest about their struggles outside of work and receive the support needed to overcome them.

“I’ve talked to probation officers, parole officers, and vouched for people,” Montel said.

Montel made the most of running her business at home. An introvert, she loved the time spent jamming out in the kitchen and the ability to freely express her creativity, which she said was extremely beneficial to her mental health.

But for all its benefits, balancing work with home life proved to be a challenge.

Montel was working out of a two-bedroom home, with one bedroom dedicated to merchandising, tablecloths and pop-up equipment. The kitchen was also completely taken over.

“There were times when my house was the business,” Montel said. “There was really no space for my personal life there. You really can't escape work.”

But in September 2021, her life was marked by tragedy.

“I left for work one morning and I came home at about 7 p.m.,” Montel said. “Everything is on the floor. My walls are black and everything is melted onto the walls. And unfortunately, my dog passed away in that fire.”

The fire was confined to Montel’s house and did not spread to neighboring homes. The fire department told her they could not identify a clear cause but said the running air conditioning had prevented the fire from spreading throughout the house and causing further damage.

Everything in the kitchen was consumed by the fire, and everything else in the house was damaged by smoke, leaving her without the ability to continue running her business.

With the support of donations from an online fundraiser, Montel was able to get back on her feet and move into a new home, but the experience left her in a state of shock that lasted for the next year.

“When I started trying to bake again it would just stir up a lot of negativity for me,” Montel said. “So I've put my business on pause a few times.”

She decided to take a break from Tilted Halos and refocus her attention on her mental health. She shut down her Instagram account last year, which had reached more than 2,000 followers.

Montel took a nine-month break from baking, started therapy and confronted trauma and personal stressors that had prevented her from pursuing what was truly in her best interest.

After reevaluating her goals, Montel realized two things: She was still passionate about pursuing social justice work and supporting her community, as well as her love for creating pastries and the loyal customers who enjoy them.

Montel relocated earlier this year to Tumacacori, about an hour south of Tucson, and is attending Arizona State University to continue pursuing her career in social justice.

She continues to run Tilted Halos on a small scale, with a focus on honoring Mexican culture through flavors like churro and flor de jamaica. She’s back on Instagram and is attending pop-ups and making the occasional delivery to favorite customers.

“There are certain customers who have just been with me through everything,” Montel said. “I've moved into so many different houses, my life has changed, I've closed down the business and reopened it, and I just have some people who always stood by me.”

Ian Davis is a Pima Community College student and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact him at imdavis52023@gmail.com.

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