Duff Goldman
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Jeffrey Adam "Duff" Goldman (born December 17, 1974) is the star of the Food Network reality television show Ace of Cakes. He is a baker and food artist who has been described as both audacious and creative.[1] He owns a cake shop in Baltimore, Maryland known as Charm City Cakes. His work and talent has also been featured on the network television special Food Network Challenge competitions and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
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[edit] Early life
Goldman grew up in Massachusetts. When he was four, his mother caught him in her kitchen wielding a meat cleaver and watching food personality Chef Tell.[2] From the age of fourteen he began to work in kitchens, and years later he attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Duff claimed that when he was a sophomore in college, he went to what he considered the finest restaurant in Baltimore, Charleston, where he was inspired to apply as a cook there. The head chef, Cindy Wolf, looked at his résumé and noted that it consisted of irrelevant experience. However, Cindy did offer him a job to make cornbread and biscuits only, and this is what Duff claimed would be the turning point in his career.[3] Shortly after, he attended schools such as Corcoran College of Art and the Culinary Institute of America at the California campus. After working under acclaimed chefs in California and Colorado, he returned to Washington, D.C. to work at the Olives restaurant baking bread.
[edit] Bakery
In 2000, Goldman opened his own business called Charm City Cakes. Initially, his cake sales began as he worked out of his Mount Vernon apartment with the help of two assistants he employed.[1] As the requests for his unusual cakes increased, he hired more employees – many of whom did not have any culinary experience as pastry chefs, but were instead experienced painters and sculptors.[4] Today, Goldman's bakery shop is indeed very unusual in that blow torches, as well as power tools such as grinders and drills, are used to help form the underlying supports of the unique edible creations.
[edit] Ace of Cakes
Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President of Food Network's programming, was quoted as describing the show Ace of Cakes as "Monster Garage meets cake shop…".[5] Well into season two, Goldman has said that he sees his reality show as reflective of what happens at his shop. He was quoted as saying:
I think it's just going to be, like, more fun, funny stuff. They're just going for more of what life is like for us, what happens around here, as opposed to a strict how-to-decorate-a-cake kind of thing.[6]
[edit] Work and appearances
With his crew, Goldman has done unusual cakes such as the likenesses of Elvis in the form of a 3-foot butter cream sculpture, a smoking volcano, a three-dimensional German Shepherd, as well as a replica of a CAT scan, a jeep, and an edible Wrigley Field. Television appearances include The Tonight Show, four Food Network Challenges, Christopher Lowell's show and others.
[edit] Other interests
Duff plays part time in a rock band, and is interested with art and history. He claims his alternate dream job would be to perform as bass player with the band Clutch. An interesting sidenote, Goldman made a wedding cake for Clutch's lead singer, Neil Fallon.[7][8]. In addition, Fallon's younger sister, Mary Alice Fallon-Yeskey, works at Charm City Cakes as the office manager.[9]
[edit] Quote
- "I never thought that was weird until I started meeting other bakers, and I was like, Whoa.... ".[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Julekha Dash. "Audacity brings chef sweet success." Baltimore Business Journal. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Staff Writter. "About Duff the Baker." Charm City Cakes – Official Website. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Julie Scelfo "Bake It Like a Man." MSNBC Newsweek Entertainment. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Nina Callaway. "Duff Goldman, Ace of Cakes." About.com - Weddings. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Staff Writter. "The Professional Caterer Online Edition, NACE Chapter News, Winter 2006." National Association of Catering Executives. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ a b Matt Mitovich. "Is Ace of Cakes Sweeter the Second Time Around?." My Way Celebrity Gossip (TV Guide Insider). Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Staff Writter. "Duff Goldman." Food Network. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Staff Writter. "The Cake Guy." Baltimore City Paper. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ Alan H. Feilder, "Flour Power", Baltimore Jewish Times, Mar. 2, 2007
[edit] External links
- "Charm City Cakes" - Official Website
- Duff Goldman – Food Network article
- Ace of Cakes - from the Food Network
