Bartolo ''Buddy'' Valastro, manager of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, inherited his knowledge of baking cakes for all occasions from his late father. On the new continent, he is considered one of the most innovative and currently the most sought-after bakers who never turns down a challenge. His sweet…
Bartolo ”Buddy” Valastro, manager of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, inherited his knowledge of baking cakes for all occasions from his late father. On the new continent, he is considered one of the most innovative and currently the most sought-after bakers who never turns down a challenge. His sweet creations are currently among the hottest across the pond. The main star of the show The Cake Boss on the Discovery Channel, where we can watch the third season of the show, is becoming more and more well-known in Europe and consequently also here.
You took over the bakery from your father at a very early age. Was it tiring?
Of course. I was seventeen when my father died. Dad was not only a good friend of mine, he was also an excellent master baker. I can say that he was a living legend for everyone in the bakery and in the place where we live. In order to experience the same respect he enjoyed, I had to earn it first. I was the first in the bakery and the last to leave. I'm a perfectionist by nature and that's what got me to where I am in life.
Your father's best advice, which still applies to you today, is...
Work hard, try to be the best and never forget where you came from! This advice led me to have my own show on the Discovery Channel in addition to a great bakery, and to see my work watched by millions of viewers around the world. I don't feel like a TV star myself. I believe that humility is the secret and key to my success. My father taught me humility.
Considering you've made over a thousand cakes, do you still enjoy your work? Do you ever try them again?
Oh, both. I still like to eat a piece of cake or two, but that's because our cakes just taste good. I am lucky to be doing what makes me happy. I already knew at the age of twelve that this would be my profession. I knew I was good at what I did and that this would be my future. I still find myself going to the bakery for one reason or another to make a waffle or mix a cream… It's my escape. I just feel better when I put together a new cake. After all these years, work still brings me joy and challenges. It makes me a happy man.
You also pass on your knowledge to younger generations in America. Can we expect something similar in Europe?
This year I published a book and went on a presentation tour in America. In doing so, I make a small presentation in which I show some "tricks" of the craft. I hope to be able to do something similar in Europe. I would like to go on a two or three week tour where I could give presentations in different European cities. As for teaching, I will open a small factory in New Jersey where we will also have classrooms. I think it is best if those who want knowledge come to my home ground, where they can learn as much as possible.
What do you teach your students first?
How to use a confectioner's spindle and thus become the best confectioner. People don't realize how important a tool this is in my profession. Many young people who come out of confectionery schools simply do not know how to use it. Of course, these skills can be learned, but it takes practice. Lots of practice. I'm not the best pastry chef in the world, but I know how to serve things. I can decorate the cake blindfolded. Making a cake is to me what breathing is to most people. It's a mandatory part of me.
What is your process for creating the masterpiece we call a cake?
I fall into the so-called "zone". I completely calm down, there are no problems around me. My heart rate slows down and my hand goes completely still. I can't hear anything, I can't see anything, I just focus on the cake and everything I do is perfect. Every movement, even the smallest, has a purpose. When I step back and see what I have created, I finally become aware of my surroundings and the people around me. A lot of people ask me if I get mad when the cake gets cut. Of course I didn't. I am even more flattered when people tell me that the cake is not only beautiful, but also tastes "divine".
The name of the show is The Cake Boss. Did the creators of the show come up with the name or maybe it's a nickname from your life? Is that what your colleagues call you?
The colleagues at the bakery call me different names, but the names are not suitable for publication in the press. The name was invented for the needs of the show. I didn't like the name at first because I thought people would take it as being conceited. But it soon became clear that this was not the case. I think they chose the title of the show well, because it reflects well what is happening in the bakery.
