Duff Goldman

[Laurie Woolever]

I know there's a Goldman thread in Pastry & Baking think his show merits a thread in Food & Media too.

I wrote about him and the new TVFN show in the New York Observer's Bridal Blog this week:

Duff Goldman post

I think the show is a great and refreshing direction for TVFN -- even if this type of programming is just an attempt to attract beer and car and Axe Body Spray advertisers.

[Chris Cognac]

I like it, its different, kinda like Miami Ink for cakes....

[edsel]

I've only caught one episode (the first or second?) so far. I found it mostly amusing, but there was one thing that really bugged me.

When they were setting up a little vignette about some stupid cookie-cake order that they mostly regretted agreeing too, there was lots of joking about how much they hated cranking out zillions of cookies for the event. Fine. Every business faces situations where they take on some dubious projects. They mostly handled it in good humor.

The part that bothered me was when some people wandered in off the street asking if they could have a cake made on short notice.

The would-be customers were turned away. OK, if this shop is highly booked, maybe it's a bit optimistic to think that they'll accept a last minute order. Again, fine.

What followed, however, completely changed my perception of the operation. No sooner had the couple left than the ridicule began. The entire staff started ragging on the people that they had turned away. I think they even made nasty comments about how they smelled (I may be just projecting here). My impression went from "kind of cool operation" to "These people are World Class Assholes".

[K8memphis]

Duff is way way cool, as are his co-workers. His bakery is too awesome, blue walls, green walls, wood floor, awesome windows, built of those cool old bricks. OH, that's COOL!!!

So funny to see him hiding behind the file cabinets when those unexpected wanna-be customers came by.

Wonder how hard it would be to commute to Baltimore from Memphis if I could get a job there. Shoot, too bad gas is so high right now.

I especially love how generous he is with the limelight. Rare wonderful quality that increases his stature.

[K8memphis]

What followed, however, completely changed my perception of the operation. No sooner had the couple left than the ridicule began. The entire staff started ragging on the people that they had turned away. I think they even made nasty comments about how they smelled (I may be just projecting here). My impression went from "kind of cool operation" to "These people are World Class Assholes".   

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Mary Alice said they were sweaty. Musta been hot outside? The would-be customers asked how long it takes to make a cake and Mary Alice said, several weeks, the guy wbc said to the girl wbc, "high quality" That's what they all (Duff & co.) laughed about.

I am uber sensitive to people being made fun of. I didn't get that sense. I got it tivo'd. I'm gonna go watch it again...

Edited to say: Yeah Charm City Cakes is a by appointment only bakery. Says so right on the door. It's not a Mom & Pop bakery with danish & doughnuts & stuff. Duff is hiding behind the filing cabinets & some people came in to try to see him without an appointment. They laughed about the guy's "high quality" comment. Yeah, it might twinge my feelings if it had been me and I watched the show later. But it says right on the door 'by appointment only'.

Sorry you don't like the show. As a decorator it is the real deal.

They were not being rude there though in my opinion. The wbc were interlopers who happened to have arrived on a hot day, needing some refreshment that was not available. Maybe they were sweating because they knew they didn't have an appointment?

Edited September 3, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[edsel]

Mary Alice said they were sweaty. Musta been hot outside? The would-be customers asked how long it takes to make a cake and Mary Alice said, several weeks, the guy wbc said to the girl wbc, "high quality" That's what they all (Duff & co.) laughed about.

I am uber sensitive to people being made fun of. I didn't get that sense. I got it tivo'd. I'm gonna go  watch it again...

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Thanks for the quick reply. I have to admit I was not watching all that closely, so my impression could well be off the mark. I hope you're right that the intent wasn't as mean-spirited as I thought it was.

[JeanneCake]

Laurie, I like that you included his message about the wedding industry (and I'm in it, so I'm not flaming anyone and don't want any thrown over here either!). It's so true that any where someone can add on a dollar, they will. I've had people cancel their orders with me because the venue is charging them $3.50/person to CUT THE CAKE! (they get the cake from an outside vendor rather than use the inhouse pastry chef, and this is how they're penalized. As if spending $140 per person isn't enough...and the room rental on top of that). I also hate doing cupcakes because people think that they should be cheaper because they're small.

Anyway, this show is sort of like reality TV for the baker - what they say isn't anything you or I haven't said (out loud sometimes!) at work. Mary Alice and that "c. u. t. e." comment about the delivery guy - hee hee. And the woman who's check bounced and begged them to take her order (this was the $3K Spiderman cake), she was pretty funny telling Duff every time she heard from her.

[Kris]

I didn't have high expectations for the show considering what a buffoon Duff Goldman came across in the Food Network cake competitions I've seen him in.

However, I have enjoyed the episodes of Ace of Cakes that I've seen thus far. And I think he and his staff turn out great work. I was particularly impressed with the Preakness cake.

Also, I was inwardly hoping that he would NOT acquiese and do the Spiderman cake for the woman whose check bounced. As a baker (not on the level of Goldman - decorating or price wise), it really peeved me when I once got stiffed by a customer. So for someone to bounce a check for the balance of a $3K party cake tells me that she really didn't respect Goldman as a business person and an artist. Someone like that needs to be written off. So I was gleeful when he held his ground and refused to do it. Especially after she called back offering him all free marble to use in his shop. What an ass.

Another thing I like about the show is the fact that the average Joe who hasn't a clue about what goes into wedding cakes and high end party cakes, is being educated by this show about what it really takes to construct these creations. And they're also learning that it's not cheap either.

So kudos to this show.

[K8memphis]

I didn't have high expectations for the show considering what a buffoon Duff Goldman came across in the Food Network cake competitions I've seen him in.

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Ouch.

Love him, hate him, he doesn't deserve that name.

Food tv producers are orgasmic when things go awry in those shows. They are totally pieced together and edited and not always what they seem.

[Kris]

I didn't have high expectations for the show considering what a buffoon Duff Goldman came across in the Food Network cake competitions I've seen him in.

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Ouch.

Love him, hate him, he doesn't deserve that name.

Food tv producers are orgasmic when things go awry in those shows. They are totally pieced together and edited and not always what they seem.

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I didn't say he was a buffoon, I said he came across as a buffoon in those competitions.

While watching those Food Network episodes it seemed that none of his cakes were ever constructed properly (so they collapsed or fell over) and sometimes he didn't follow the rules. Maybe the time constraints were too much for him. Maybe his preoccupation with pyrotechnics and tools such as blow torches were more of a priority. Who knows?

I know that things aren't always what they seem because these shows are edited and of course the producers are going to "play up" the things that go wrong in order to garner ratings. But I do think Goldman "clowned around" (is that a better terminology than buffoon?) a bit much on those competitions.

Well it's really no matter since he ended up with a tv show. So he must have done something right. And I also know that he has a devoted fan base on a cake message board that we both belong to. So again, he's doing something right.

Edited September 3, 2006 by Kris (log)

[Matcha Eyes]

I love his show. He seems like a great person. And for some reason I find him kind of cute too

[K8memphis]

I wrote about him and the new TVFN show in the New York Observer's Bridal Blog this week:

Duff Goldman post

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And Laurie, I enjoyed your article very much. Good stuff.

[Laurie Woolever]

I wrote about him and the new TVFN show in the New York Observer's Bridal Blog this week:

Duff Goldman post

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And Laurie, I enjoyed your article very much. Good stuff.

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Thanks! It was a blast to interview him and I wish I could have included more of his comments. Maybe there will be a follow-up...

[JeanneCake]

Or, you could just tell us more here!

[K8memphis]

Or, you could just tell us more here! 

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I second the motion ~~ All opposed?? None

And it's carried!!

More more

[Zeemanb]

I've only seen the first episode so far and enjoyed it very much. Did anyone else wince in pain as the frat boys tore into the Jeep cake? What was the comment afterwards? Something along the lines of..."I think they would have been just as happy with a big pile of cake with Jeep written acros the top".

[StephMac]

The part that makes me wince every single time - even in the commercials, even though I've seen the episode already - is the shot of the inside of the delivery van totally filled with cakes, and the van goes over a bump, and the square cake with the delicate tree branches going up the side does a seriously disturbing side-to-side shimmy...

Like Duff very much - I'm glad the program shows him in his "home environment," since I'd have to agree that his appearances on the cake contests haven't shown him at his best.

The best part of the show is that it hammers home how much time goes into these custom cakes: showing the workers at the shop all night, or bleary-eyed after staring at details for too long, or sitting for hours perched 3 inches from the tiers (did you see that California cake? with the tiny Golden Gate bridge piping? yowza!). The cakes aren't thrown together on a whim - they're planned out, constructed, and then assembled according to plan (although that part is usually rushed!). As a decorator, it's awesome to see someone react the same way I would to last-minute changes and forgotten delivery items.

I do wonder how the customers feel about seeing their cake on the show, along with all the comments made about some of the designs... I might be a little put-off after hearing some of their remarks?

On the other hand, I've actually had friends and coworkers watch this show and then come up to me and say, "Is that how long you spend on cakes?" And my response: "No, that's the work of a professional... I take A LOT LONGER!"

[ggreene]

I like it, its different, kinda like Miami Ink for cakes....

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exactly my thoughts.