Meet Amanda Chitarra | Singer, Music Teacher, and Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Chitarra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Hello, my name is Amanda Chitarra. I’m an Indonesian singer, music teacher, and baker currently based in Pasadena, CA. Alongside my work in music, I run a licensed home bakery called Gulung Bakehouse, where I create unique roll cakes decorated with traditional Indonesian patterns, bringing a taste of my heritage to each design.

Art and music have always been central to my life. When I moved from Indonesia to the U.S. in 2014, I was determined to keep music close. And during the pandemic, I also rekindled my love for baking, diving into both classic and modern recipes. This exploration led me to decorated roll cakes—a perfect canvas to showcase the beauty of my culture through Indonesian batik.

That’s how Gulung Bakehouse began in 2021. It’s a small business I operate from home, specializing in batik-inspired roll cakes with Asian flavors like pandan, ube, coconut, and matcha. Through Gulung, I get to combine my passions for art, culture, and flavor into something truly meaningful.

Recently I also created Baking Music, a YouTube series where I merge my love for music and baking. Each episode highlights a music album artwork and features a guest artist who joins me in performing music from the album. For me, it’s a way to bring together the two things I love most—music and baking, and also to share this passion with everyone.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets my baking apart is the unique way I incorporate traditional Indonesian batik patterns onto roll cakes. This not only showcases my roots but also brings a little piece of Indonesian culture to each customer. At Gulung Bakehouse, I bake each cake by pre-order, allowing me to put special care into both the design and the unique, Asian-inspired flavors.

But one of my favorite things to do is go out for pop-up events! These pop-ups give me a chance to connect with people face-to-face, and introduce the beauty of Indonesian batik patterns and flavors like pandan, ube, and matcha. Seeing people’s reactions to these cakes and their enthusiasm for the flavors and designs really makes me happy. Through these pop-up events, I’ve also met incredible small business owners who are not only warm and welcoming but part of tight-knit, supportive communities. It’s inspiring to connect with people who genuinely understand the joys and challenges of running a small business.

Of course, juggling between my different roles as a music teacher, baker, and content creator comes with its own set of challenges. Learning to manage time, endless to-do lists, scheduling, brainstorming ideas, etc. I learned so much in this journey. The ups and downs have been quite a ride. So I’ve been really focusing on taking small steps forward and to find joy even in small successes.

Another thing I am excited about is my Youtube series, Baking Music, where I combine both my musical and baking life. This project takes a lot of work, but it is a dream come true to create something that brings these worlds together. I truly hope it finds success and reaches people who love both music and dessert as much as I do.

Here are my social media handles:
Instagram/Youtube/Tiktok @chitarraisbakingmusic
Instagram @gulung_la

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There so much to do and see! If I would make an itinerary for my guest, I guess these are the places we’d definitely go!

Day 1: Check out Old Town Pasadena, the beautiful Pasadena City Hall, the Huntington Garden, and eat at local Pasadena spots, like Pie ‘n Burger, coffee at Jones, or perhaps a nice dinner at Bone Kettle.

Day 2: DTLA! we’ll go to The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Last Bookstore, explore Little Tokyo, and eat at Grand Central Market, ice cream at Salt & Straw, and brewery hopping in Arts District.

Day 3: Beach Day! We’ll go up the PCH to Malibu, maybe Point Dume or El Matador, brunch at Malibu Farm, wine tasting if we feel like it, then check out Santa Monica pier and dinner in Abbot Kinney.

Day 4: We’ll head to the Farmers Market and the Grove, LACMA, Melrose for vintage shopping, then head to Griffith Observatory for sunset and view of the Hollywood Sign. For dinner we’ll go Koreatown. Lots of choices here, like BCD Tofu House, Korean BBQ, and Sun Nong Dan.

Day 5: Day trip! Plenty of fun places to go, such as Santa Barbara, Solvang, Pismo Beach, Palm Springs, Big Bear, or even San Diego.

Day 6: Take them to brunch at top Indonesian spots like Medan Kitchen, Borneo, or Simpang Asia. If they’re up for it, we’ll do a mini-episode of Baking Music or do a low-key baking session for them to taste my roll cakes. Then nice dinner at Republique.

Day 7: Chill day in town. Take them to cute shops in Highland Park and Silver Lake, eat at great Asian restaurants in San Gabriel like Golden Deli and Lunasia Dim Sum, then finish with a concert either at the Hollywood Bowl, or any other great LA venues.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my family and friends, both here in the U.S. and back home in Indonesia. Their unwavering support has been the backbone of everything I do. And a special shoutout to my husband, who’s my behind-the-scenes hero! He’s the one setting up tents, hanging banners, snapping photos at every pop-up—and, of course, tackling the mountain of dishes that come with it all. I’m also grateful to the Indonesian community and the larger Asian communities for embracing and uplifting my work.

Website: https://amandachitarra.wixsite.com/home

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chitarraisbakingmusic/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chitarraisbakingmusic

Other: https://www.instagram.com/gulung_la/