Less than a month after opening Kani Bakery, Aryan Jafri found out she was expecting. What followed was a crash course in building a business and a family at the same time. We met her just before her due date, in the final stretch of her pregnancy, to hear how years in professional kitchens led to a bakery of her own, why she wanted to build a workplace with room for family life, and what she hopes her child will take from watching her chase a dream. Read on for the full conversation.

What originally sparked your decision to open Kani Bakery in Copenhagen?

"I always knew in culinary school that I wanted to do my own thing, so I chose all my past jobs based on what I could learn to make that happen. Once I felt ready and had developed my own style of pastries, I started writing a business plan and working towards turning those ideas into a reality."

What has this journey taught you about yourself as a founder?

"It’s shown me that I’m capable of far more than I thought. Previous workplaces had really impacted my self-confidence, so it took time to realize my own capability and to create a space where my team would never feel the way I once did in other kitchens. I’ve also learned to be much more straightforward about my vision for the bakery while fully trusting my team to create beautiful, delicious products."

Running a fast-paced kitchen is physically demanding work. How did you manage when you found out you were pregnant?

"I found out less than a month after opening the bakery, which was a huge shock! Luckily, I didn’t get too sick in the first trimester, but my energy levels plummeted. We were working long hours, building a new kitchen routine as a team, and my body felt completely drained. Being able to lean on my husband, Joshua, who manages the daily business operations, helped immensely so I could focus purely on the kitchen."

Did you have to slow down or adjust your routine? Was that hard to accept?

"Halfway through my second trimester, I switched to working part-time in the kitchen and covering barista shifts. I had to stop making bread completely because my body couldn’t handle it. By the third trimester, severe pelvic pain made walking after two hours almost impossible, and I had to stop kitchen work entirely. It was a massive mental adjustment after an eight-year career, but my team is amazing, so I was never worried about operations—it was just mentally hard to stop so abruptly."

As an entrepreneur, you're used to being in control. How did you handle entering a phase of life where so much is out of your hands?

"The scariest part was accepting that I’d eventually have to step back from overseeing everything. In the third trimester, I struggled with not knowing how my body would feel from day to day—or if I’d even be able to leave the sofa. I hadn’t prepared myself mentally for my usual life to halt so suddenly. I’m learning to give myself grace and listen to what my body needs."

What are your biggest anxieties about stepping back from Kani during maternity leave?

"Honestly, I feel very lucky. My team is incredible, and with Joshua tracking every operational detail alongside his day job, I don't worry about how things will look or new menu items. It’s mostly just strange not being there every day. But I still check in when I can, and I’ll definitely be visiting a lot with the baby for breakfast!"

What moments are you most looking forward to as a first-time mother?

"So many things! Just spending time together, baking, introducing a whole world of food, and traveling. There are so many unknowns, but for the first time, not knowing what's ahead feels exciting."

Preparing for a baby requires a whole new level of delegation. How has this shifted how you trust and rely on your team at Kani?

"I always wanted the kitchen to be a creative space for our bakers, so seeing what new pastries and drinks they come up with is wonderful. Before stepping back, I trained our head baker on the administrative side of running the kitchen, while Joshua tracks everything else that used to give me anxiety."

How has your relationship with your body changed during pregnancy?

"It’s been amazing to see what my body can do—I’ve actually never felt more confident. Having struggled with body image in the past, growing a baby helped clear away those negative thoughts. I’ve learned to listen to my body and slow down, whereas before I would overwork myself and ignore recovery."

When you picture your child growing up around the bakery, what values do you hope they absorb from watching you?

"That it’s okay to chase a dream that isn't 'traditional,' and that being creative is a wonderful thing. When I briefly attended university before leaving for culinary school, I felt a lot of guilt for not following a standard path. But whenever people asked my parents what they wanted us to be when we grew up, they always said: 'happy.' That’s exactly what I want for our baby, too."

What would you say to another female business owner trying to balance career ambition with starting a family?

"It’s definitely hard. Part of why I wanted my own place was to eventually make space for a family, as I saw so many chefs leave the industry due to lack of flexibility. Right now, some of my bigger plans for Kani are on hold until I can return properly, and that’s okay. Once we found out I was pregnant, I had to speed-run training the team to run things without me. While I’m technically on leave, mentally I’m still at the bakery every day—I don’t think I’ll ever fully turn that part of my brain off!"

About Kani

Kani is a neighbourhood bakery built around sourdough, seasonal flavours and a belief in doing simple things really well. Everything is baked in-house and by hand, with no industrial shortcuts or pre-made mixes, by an international team of bakers and baristas. The menu follows the seasons and draws on local mills, farms and producers, and leftovers become new products: rye bread turns into granola, and croissant offcuts into new pastries.

The bakery is meant to feel like a local living room, a place to stop by, catch up, and feel part of the neighbourhood. Kani is led by Aryan Jafri, a pastry chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, who combines classic techniques with playful, seasonal ideas rooted in Danish baking culture.

• Address: Vesterbrogade 196, 1800 Frederiksberg
• Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 07.30–17.00
• Instagram: @kani.cph