As per my last blog, Twitter updates and Facebook statuses, I was incredibly excited to see a particular chef in action at the Good Food and Wine Show. Buddy Valastro! Friends, he did not disappoint! He was friendly, warm and charming with a slightly humorous New Jersey accent. Buddy was armed with a variety of colourful icing, piping bags and a two tier fondant covered vanilla cake, begging to be touched by a Cake Boss. The show took place in the Samsung Chefs In Action Theatre. I have to say that if it wasn’t for the strict security and the screaming fans, I would have felt like I was sitting at the far end of his kitchen counter while he told me about becoming the Cake Boss of New Jersey, TLC and about the crazy cakes he has made over time.
Buddy is renowned for his outrageous and intricate cakes such as a life size Betty White cake, a hanging chandelier cake and a Dr Suess cake with 10 moving parts. That is nothing less than I would expect from this Buddy! Being in South Africa for the Good Food and Wine Show, the Cake Boss decided on an Animal Safari cake for his South African fans. Aah, that was a bit of a typical and predictable choice but seeing how the cake was being shaped with the piping of trees, creation of a waterfall and the making of wild animals… I forgave him and sat back and watched him make piping and molding fondant look like child’s play.
Our friend, Buddy feels compelled to restore the tainted perception of New Jersey thanks to unflattering shows that he did not name and wants to reinforce good wholesome family viewing. He managed to bring good values back to New Jersey by starting the hugely successful show we now know as The Cake Boss. The Kitchen Boss is the name of his latest endeavor. His goal with this show is not only to entertain Buddy-style, but also to show his audience how to conjure up great cuisine with recipes that are straightforward and ingredients that are easy to come by. He chuckled as he told us about a fan who approached him and asked him to say; “I am Buddy, call me Boss!”.
All great success stories have hint of failure to balance the freshly baked aroma of knowing you have made it. Buddy admitted that he has messed up many a cake but told us that it is important to keep at it if you believe you are a Cake Boss in your own right. If all else fails, he says turn the cake around and call it the back of the cake because it has a back… But not a lot of people know this.
A little known fact is that Buddy was inspired by South African and Australian cake decorations when he first started out in the family business, Carlo’s Bakery. Buddy promised that he would come back to South Africa and to bring his family for a Safari, as he was flying solo with what felt like a swarm of body guards. It was quite annoying not being able to get closer to him for an autograph or a handshake. After the show the Buddy was signing books for a few minutes and disappeared and popped up later for a few more minutes, never staying in one spot for longer than a few minutes without the bodyguards whisking him away to another place. *Sigh*
All in all the experience was a good one although I personally think that it was a bad arrangement that you have to pay an entrance fee to both the show and the fair. With a beautiful venue like the CTICC, it is hard to believe that they could not have the Chefs in Action Theatre in one of the auditoriums. I guess in a matter of speaking the entrance fee was based on this notion; If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the Theatre… Or is it kitchen?
To catch Buddy Valastro on TV, catch the Cake Boss weekdays at 17:40 on TLC (DStv channel 186). You can also visit his website at www.carlosbakery.com/
The Animal Safari Cake was taken from his book, Baking with the Cake Boss available online.
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