Has anyone else looked at Toba Garretts website and had a heartattack at what she charges for cakes????? I know that she is a great decorator but OMG her prices are soo high! I can only dream...

Yup. I saw it a while back and I am still in shock!!!! Imagine $1500.00 for a cake that serves 25-30 people. I would be making sure that every last crumb and every last bit of icing is eaten.

yeah i would be too lol!

Not only are her prices mind blowing, she certainly is limiting her clientele to the most elite.

what's the website address?

http://www.tobagarrett.com/cakes.html

I just typed her name in Google and got her website. Wow what prices $15 for a cookie. Hey I'm sure we can all do just as good a job

First, let me say in defense of Mrs. Garrett that she is in New York City, where prices are much higher than anywhere else in the country, so higher prices on wedding cakes are to be expected.

Second, unless a person has seen her work in person, as I have, nobody should compare their work to hers. It is impeccable, and worth every cent of what she charges.

Third, why is it alright for many of the members here to watch Duff Goldman on TV and admire his ability to charge what he does, without comparing his work to theirs, but Mrs. Garrett does not get the same consideration? And don't get defensive of him, as I admire his work, also.

Mrs. Garrett is a lovely, wonderful person who is dedicated to her craft, and it is decorators like her, Duff Goldman, Ron Ben-Israel, Colette Peters, Sylvia Weinstock, Margaret Braun, and many others, who make it possible for people like us to charge what we do for a custom cake than what people would pay in the supermarket.

Theresa

tmriga, I agree and respect what you've said, but no one can convince me that a cake to serve 25 people is worth $1000+. Maybe I'm not seeing the "lost opportunity cost" she has for making a cake that only serves 25. Maybe her sales/marketing time is valued at $1000 an hour.

Maybe I don't travel in the same social circle that she and Duff and Collette travel in, but anyone who pays over $1000 for a cake to serve 25 is a fool or a status-symbol-seeker. And those who charge it are taking advantage.

My father in law, who I just love and adore, has a saying about overpriced items: "That's an example of when 2 fools met ..... the first fool who charged that much and the 2nd fool who actually paid it!"

I have to say that tmriga is right. I have taken classes from TOBA and she's amazing. The cakes that you are looking at take alot of time to do.
800 square feet of property in NY city is 10,000 a month. Not all her cake cost that much. She does have to cover her cost and yeah, your paying for her name and her talent. She has learned from the best and worked with the best. Her cakes taste good, look good and therefore living in NY they cost alittle more.

i think toba's cakes are gorgeous, and no, i wouldn't pay that for them, but i don't make that much money. i think this thread was made more to look at her cakes and what she can charge than to start arguing about whether she should or not.

she does very very nice work, but don't say that people shouldn't compare themselves to her. i can name a couple of people on this site that i think are also impeccable in their work. plus, she didn't start out on the top. she had to work hard to get there.

I just caught an episode of 'Bridezilla' and the one girls cake was $3500.00. Can you imagine that!!!! And it wasn't that spectacular!

And once again, you have to understand that she does cakes in New York City, where people are not apprehensive about paying for quality -- or status. And if someone there has $1500 to spend on a cake for 25 people then I say God Bless them, and I am happy for them. Because that means they have earned their money, and the right to spend it any way they enjoy.

You make it sound like she is holding a gun to someone's head. There are other bakers in New York City. If they don't want to pay her price, they can go to Viniero's, or Kissena Bakery, or whomever they want. If nobody was willing to pay her price, they wouldn't.

And as far as your father in law goes, he is entitled to his opinion just as much as I am mine.

Theresa

After reading some of the other posts, I bow down to all you New Yorkers! I couldn't afford to live there 1 day let alone forever. I'm sure by now Toba has not only her following, but knows exactly what she is doing. And by the sounds of how much it costs to live there, the cake prices are probably just a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of everything else there.

It is the artistry/artist that demands the higher price. The local grocery store here charges $5.00 per slice for a fondant cake,$3.50 for BC or Royal. A custom-made with beautiful artistry should demand a higher price than a local grocery chain, at least that is what I think. My own opinion.

It would be a great feeling to know you were that good that people would pay such a high price for a cake you have made.

I decorate for the enjoyment I see on the faces of the people I make the cakes for.....not the money!!

I guess this is her career (a business) for her and she must be a fantastic business lady as well as a fantastic decorator/artist.

I think it is Ok to be shocked by her prices, and I am sure that there are plenty of other people who live in "New York City" that would be stunned by her prices but I don't think any of the original posts in this thread called for anyone to come to Tobas "defence" and as far as them making it sound like she was holding a gun to their heads, I didn't get that impression at all.

I don't beleive any one was (or is) attacking her, and good on anyone that is fortunate enough to buy one of her cakes. I know that my money would be better spent on my children, family or friends than on a cake at that price.

Just like everyone else, I am entiltled to my opinion!!!!!

I don't understand why people feel the need to argue over something like this.

The woman charges a lot for her cakes, that don't seem like they are worth it, but in person they may be, we all know pictures don't always do our creations justice.

I believe this thread was started basically to just say "hey look at these pics and look at how much she is able to get for these cakes" I don't think it was to attack Toba or whomever she is.

I live in Maryland which is right below NY and I'm sorry no matter how far north you get in MD no matter how close to NY you get the cost isn't THAT high. Now it may be in NYC I don't know.

But I don't think this is something worth arguing over. Power to her if she can get $1500.~ a cake for 10 people or $15.~ a cookie that'll last 2 minutes. I myself feel bad when I charge people $35.~ for a basic cake. I guess that's just me.

And I know I'm probably asking for a lashing by posting this but I don't care.

This is a place were all us bakers and artists can come and share our creations and our hints and tips and tools of the trade and heck we can even brag a little about what we've done and have someone equally appreciative of it.

I think we need to stop "jumping" people's cases because they have their own opinions and just let it be said. No one is bad mouthing this lady or anything they are just stating their own opinion that her cakes and cookies featured on her website are outragiously over priced. Now if she has cheaper cakes and cookies to offer why doesn't she show those on her website? If she didn't want people to think she's over priced then she should've put the cheaper ones on there as well.

JUST MY OPINION. Which as stated before we all have a right to our own opinions so why don't we sit back and let people have their say without arguing with them about their opinions?

I didn't start this thread to bag Toba out. I think her cakes are gorgeous. I can only dream about charging that much for cakes!!!! I feel bad about charging $300 for a cake to feed 100 let alone $1500 to feed 25 but good luck to her if she can get it!!

I feel honored to hear about people like her. It makes me want to set higher goals for myself. Bravo to the successful person regardless of their occupation.

SS

I'm lost for words!

also, if you charge enough you work less and can put more time into each and every work of art.

I am trying to move from making...6 cakes a week for 50.00 each to making...3 cakes a week at $100.00 each.

Will everyone pay that price. No...but, if I can get at least 3 people in here I cover my rent..then I can deicide if I want to churn out a few of the 50 dollar cakes!

I would rather charge what I'm worth or a little more than be tied to the kitchen churning out cakes for little profit.

and being able to take my time with each cake is what I want to do! Make a work of art!

Risque, your cakes are awesome. I am sure you will get there!!

I can only dream of being so impeccable and clean in my work. She is so good at her craft that she can charge as much as she wants. Is it outrageous? Not to the socialites, celebreties, etc. that pay for it.

Just my thoughts.
Angie

Since I am a poor "starving" artist.......every once in a while I feel wildly decadent.....and I will buy something a little lavish for myself that will not last. Something like a good bottle of wine, imported chocolate or cheese, exotic flowers out of season. I have balsamic vinegar from Italy on my list....

Well now I think the next time I am feeling just a bit decadent, I am going to buy my initials in a cookie format from someone like Toba and relish every moment I nibble a bite.

Hmmmmm, hmmm yummy.

I wasn't going to respond to this post because I feel very defensive of Toba Garrett. First of all, let's realize that she is trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and she is a Master Chef. That raises her value in the market immensely. Second, as someone else said, she works in New York City - which is an extremely expensive market (although I'd venture to guess that San Francisco is equal in expense, but I'm not sure). Than remember that alot of her work is extremely time consuming and that you are paying for her time and for the quality of her work. I also know that she charges that much because it limits the quantity of cakes she is doing so she can put everything into those cakes and cookies.

I have made 90% of the recipes that she has put in her books and they are expensive to make. Her chocolate fudge cake is expensive to make and more time consuming, however it is the best darn chocolate cake I've ever had.

I agree that I don't believe anyone is insulting her but before you criticize her for her prices, you should try to put yourself in her shoes, with her talents, background, and her business.

Rachel

I think one reason so many of us get sticker shock when we look at her prices is because most of us don't have to deal with prices that one finds in NYC. My friends live in a tiny 2 bedroom apt that would normally rent for $2200 but they got it for a steal at 1900! All that and you get to walk up 5 flights of stairs (no elevator)!

NYC has an incredible amount of wealth and celebs so to them $1500 for a cake is like us normal folks paying $25. It's all about talent, reputation, location, connections and marketing. Put all those together and you've got yourself a $1500 cake!

That is a steal for a 2 bedroom apartment in NYC! Iv'e had friends who move there and get a flipping closet for 1500 a month. It's ridiculous.

Rachel

Colette Peters, Elisa Strauss, Duff Goldman, all of those decorators charge an arm and a leg. They are very talented people and can charge that. Toba Garrett is one of those decorators. She is equally as talented and has as much experience as Colette, Elisa, and Duff...just to name a few famous decorators. (I actually have one of Toba's books and enjoy it!)

I like Toba Garrett... If I was rich and famous, I will buy her cakes by the dozen. IMHO, if you have the money, why not ?

Her cakes are only for people who can afford it. But I would not ridicule her for charging that much for a cake. I'm sure rich people who buy from her do not question her cake prices. To wealthy people, money is no object.