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

Hi Liezel, what role has risk played in your life or career?

The word “risk” means a lot in my family’s life. Let me try to unpack this the best way I can… Usually, when I hear the word “risk” it typically brings a negative connotation to it. But to my family, taking risks have made a profound impact in our lives. Why? Because taking risks is what truly tested our faith in God. Taking risks is delving into the unknown with no guarantees of the outcome. But by embracing that reality and laying down our fears and doubts to God to trust that He can do all things is what turned every single risk into a step of faith instead. And by faith, that is where God steps in and responds. We faithfully wait for an answer, the result, and then trust that whatever happens, He is in control and knows what is best for us. So, every single decision we’ve ever made has always gone through the process of deep prayer.

The first big risk we ever took was when we decided to leave Seattle, Washington back in 2011. Seattle was our home. That is where I was born and raised. My entire family lived there and everything I ever knew was there. However, we knew we wanted more in our lives, and it just seemed like we were limited if we were to stay there. There was a much bigger world to experience and learn from outside of Seattle. We no longer wanted to be stuck! However, at the time, it all seemed like just wishful thinking. We didn’t have the means to up and leave and we didn’t have jobs waiting for us anywhere else! Not to mention, we didn’t have any close family and friends to depend on if we moved outside of Washington. Like I said, wishful thinking. Until one day, I was offered an opportunity in Orange County, California. It wasn’t a dream job, and the pay wasn’t nearly comparable to California cost of living either! However, it was a ticket out of Seattle. There were still many “what-ifs” and unknowns. So, what did we do? Yes, you guessed it! We prayed! We believed that God was telling us that for us to truly experience what He can do, we had to step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown and solely rely on Him and no longer on what we can do or our own understanding. It was time to truly have faith! Then we did it… we left everything behind. It was bittersweet really. I was sad to leave my parents and siblings but relieved at the same time because we felt free. Like our lives had been opened to more possibilities.

Fast forward, the job I took ended up being merely a steppingstone to something much better. After a month, I was given a phenomenal opportunity at one of the best teaching hospitals in Southern California. I officially had a career in clinical information systems technology which in turn helped support the California cost of living for the long-term. In addition, my husband and I completed our college degrees, and I was fortunate to get my MBA as well. We moved from apartment to apartment until we were blessed to buy our first home in the city of Irvine in 2016.

Life was going quite smoothly until 2020 happened. Covid-19 came sweeping in and took the world by storm! Illness and death were happening around us. Political divide and social unrest were at an all-time high. Every grocery run was like an episode of the Walking Dead. I couldn’t even find diapers for my baby! Businesses were closing, people were changing, and costs were rising. The future seemed unclear, and we had to start thinking of other ways to supplement our income in case of anything. All we could do was pray. Pray for provision and protection on our family. We prayed for a business idea but didn’t have a eureka moment. Stress was at an all-time high, and I just needed a distraction. So, I did what I do best… bake.

I made my favorite desserts and experimented with other things. I knew that if I didn’t start giving some of these treats away to other people, my family and I would end up eating everything while in quarantine! So, we started sharing with friends and family and they loved it! Then I thought since many businesses were still closed and people still preferred eating at home, why not try selling to the public? Then that’s how we gave birth to Ambrosia Eats, our small home baking business.


What should our readers know about your business?

Ambrosia Eats specializes in buttermochi bars, an Asian/Hawaiian inspired dessert made of sweet rice flour. It has a crisp outer crust while gooey and chewy on the inside. They’re pillowy soft and completely addicting. People went crazy over these little chunks of heaven and the orders just kept growing. We hoped to open our own brick and mortar shop. However, due to rising costs, tight regulations, and the uncertainty small businesses faced in California due to Covid restrictions, it just didn’t seem like the right time/place for us to open a physical location. We prayed for a solution where we would be able to have our own brick and mortar shop.

And just like that, a blessing arrived, and we were presented with an undeniable opportunity to relocate to Frisco, TX. We learned that Texas had become the prime relocation spot for all sorts of professionals and businesses around the country. Texas was fertile ground and held many possibilities. 2 months later, we sold our home, packed everything and drove to our new city and embarked on a new adventure. A few months later, we setup Ambrosia Eats in Frisco and never looked back! We have been so overwhelmed and blessed by the outpouring of support from our community here. They love buttermochi and our olive oil cakes and we hope to share our love for baking to the rest of Texas! In due time, we know we will officially open doors to our very first brick and mortar location right here in the heart of Frisco!

So, go ahead, take risks… have faith and be bold with your lives! If we can do it, so can you!


If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the reasons why we fell in love with Texas is because of its wealth of culture all around. It is literally “Foodie Heaven”!  There are so many places to eat and countless local spots in every town we’ve been to so far! We’d first start by taking them to our favorite taco place in La Suprema Market right at the Rail District. Fried Chicken at Babes and chicken liver at Chicken Express! And then we’d take them to Hakata Ramen and the Dumpling House off of Preston. Next, we’ll take them Bulla for paella at Legacy West and of course the food hall after! On another day, we’d take them to Carrollton to visit Little Korea and Little Tokyo for a day long of shopping and eating! Take a drive to Fort Worth at the amazing one of a kind Water Garden Falls. The amazing museums all around, the Stockyard to get a real taste of the wild west! And lastly, some mouthwatering brisket at Hutchins BBQ! We could go on and on…

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

HUGE thanks to my husband, my best friend, my number one encourager! When things get difficult and challenging, he puts me in check and reminds me to have faith. He is my prayer partner and keeps me grounded.

My children are my “why”. They give me a reason to keep striving to never give up. They are our miracle and my husband and I want nothing more than to set a good example on what it’s like have faith, trust God, keep pressing on, and embrace the victories at the end of each journey.

Lastly, on behalf of Ambrosia Eats, we’d like to recognize all of our family, friends, and customers who have stood by our business. Their support means so much and witnessing their joy and excitement when eating our products are what keeps us going. It strengthens and inspires our creativity and our effort to always deliver an exceptional product… Much love to all of you!

Website: http://linktr.ee/AmbrosiaEats

Instagram: http://instagram.com/AmbrosiaGoodEats

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AmbrosiaGoodEats

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ambrosia-eats-frisco

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