Christina Miller is a legacy baker and the owner of Bert & T’s Desserts. Her passion for baking is inspired by her two late grandmothers, “Bert & T.” She specializes in Gullah and southern desserts like benne brittle and chewies in addition to hand-crafted ice cream inspired by Charleston and its local ingredients.
Sweet beginnings
Miller, a Lowcountry native who grew up on James Island, has deep roots across Charleston. Her mother grew up in North Charleston, her father grew up downtown and her grandparents had a large garden on Bonds Avenue. Her connection to her family and the area were a huge part of her starting her business, Bert & T’s Desserts, and play a role in the inspiration she draws from them for her desserts.
Miller, however, wasn’t always cooking professionally.
“I’ve had several F&B jobs prior to starting my company (none were planned, they all just happened),” she said. “In college, people discovered that I was a good baker and started ordering baked items from me on campus.”
Miller then pursued a career as an RN, a traveling nurse who has lived across the country in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Houston and more before returning home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During the pandemic I was working in pediatrics as an RN,” she said. “Children weren’t initially impacted by Covid, and I was getting canceled from work almost every shift. During the lockdown people were requesting desserts from me and with the nudging of many people I decided to turn my hobby into a business.”
But a childhood in the kitchen reeled her back in. Her grandmothers, “Bertha” and “Eutellia,” affectionately known as “Bert” and “T.” fueled Miller’s love for baking. By the age of 4, she was already helping her grandmothers roll pie crusts and fill cake pans in their kitchens. Everything on Bert & T’s menu is made from scratch and made with high quality ingredients.
“I try to use local ingredients as much as possible,” she said. “My grandparents had a large garden off of Bonds Avenue in North Charleston, in addition to the garden in their backyard, and a lot of the things that we prepared utilized produce from the gardens.”
And not only are her recipes inspired by her grandmothers, she draws inspiration from many of the women in her community.
“I am inspired by the other older women that I grew up around:great aunts, older women in the community, church, etcetera. Many of them shared recipes and stories with me.”
Bert & T.’s serves up Gullah Goodness
When she’s not creating her handcrafted, small batch ice cream and sorbets, or creating old school Gullah favorite sweets like groundnut cakes and black walnut brittle, she’s enjoying Charleston’s growing culinary scene. “Charleston has always had great food but lacked some diversity in cuisine types. More diverse options are popping up and I love that. I recently ate at Bintu Atelier. This was easily the best bite I’ve eaten in 2023.” And, she’s being creative outside of the kitchen. “ I am creative in every way,” Miller said. “I enjoy creating all the things: music, art, graphics, clothing. I also enjoy cycling!”
While Bert & T’s Desserts may be one of Charleston’s newest confectioneries, it’s been racking up accolades and fans. Winning grants from The Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative and Lowcountry Locals “Ready, Set, Pitch!” competition, she’s been able to grow her operation with a mobile dessert truck where customers can grab her treats from around the city, or book to have the truck at an event. Bert and T’s Desserts also now delivers nationwide throughout the U.S..
You can find Miller and Bert & T’s at the upcoming Black Food Truck Festival, held April 27 and 28 at the Exchange Park Fairgrounds. Learn more online at blackfoodtruckfestival.com.
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