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| Photo credit: Blake Little |
August
15, 2009… I was taking a mid-day nap when my cell phone rang. I did
not recognize the number but answered anyway. On the other end of the
line was Willie Goldman, Duff Goldman’s brother. At the time,
Willie was his public relations manager.
I
sent an email to Chef Duff asking if he would be willing to answer a
few interview questions for me, as I was a food writer at the time. I
was expecting an email interview, but to my shock, they gave me a
phone interview with Chef Duff.
After
speaking to Willie, I was instructed to call Chef Duff on his cell
phone in about ten minutes…I did as I was told.
I
was nervous and excited at the same time. I was going to get to speak
with Duff Goldman…business owner and Food Network star!
When
Chef Duff, AKA, “The Bread Guy”, went to culinary school, he was
the only male in an all-female class. He had a lot of informal art
training prior to starting school.
In
1998, he started working at, “The French Laundry”, but left
because he was lonely. He ended up in Colorado that summer, where his
friends encouraged him to stay. Chef Duff took a job at, “The Vail
Cascade Hotel and Resort” as a pastry chef. There he learned how to
carve ice, create chocolate sculptures, and clean fish (particularly
salmon). While working there he also learned that he enjoys curing
foods and making sauces.
As
time went on, Chef Duff began making and decorating the wedding cakes
for the guests of the resort. He made ten generic cakes and suggested
they sit and have consultations with the guests in order to
personalize their cake. After having a consultation, Chef Duff would
draw the cakes for the guests. He took these ideas and is currently
applying now at, “Charm City Cakes”.
As
he continued to work at the resort, Chef Duff learned new cake
decorating techniques that he implemented on the cakes. A friend of
his, Mary Alice reached out and asked him to make a wedding cake for
her brothers wedding. He agreed and made a six-tier cake that
included 2000 to 3000 marzipan butterflies and ladybugs.
Fast
forward to 3-3-2002. Chef Duff opened “Charm City Cakes” and the
rest is history.
Chef
Duff is kind, understanding, helpful and down to earth. The man you
see on television, is the man he is in real life. He is humble, happy
and funny.
Thank
you, Chef Duff, for your time and advice. I am honored to have spoke
with you and to have the opportunity to write this article, not once,
but twice about you!
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