Would You Take This Job?

Business By kakeladi Updated 26 Oct 2012 , 9:26am by Jennifer353

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kakeladi Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 9:30pm
post #1 of 29

I just applied for a job at a cake supply shop. In talking to the guy he informated me who ever they hire must bake cakes at their home and take them into the shop to complete any work. In CA this is NOT legal (w/the health dept). Also while talking to him there was a photo album on the counter that I quickly scanned. There were copyright cakes (wilton shaped - like ariel & micky) so I'm assuming one would be asked to make these - copyright voilation.
I need a job. It would be a real blessing to work close to home and in the industry BUT............ would you?

28 replies
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lovinspoonfull Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 9:39pm
post #2 of 29

I would be very concerned with someone who is so blatant about breaking the law. You could possibly be held liable if you bake cakes at home for them. I totally understand needing a job, but you should consider that this business owner is dishonest and untrustworthy. Not good qualities in an employer.

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jason_kraft Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 9:51pm
post #3 of 29

At any moment this cake supply shop could be shut down by the health department. If I were to take the job it would be contingent on me working out a licensed and inspected rental kitchen with the cake supply shop paying the rent (or an on-site licensed kitchen if they can build one).

FYI, we will find out by the end of the day tomorrow if the California CFL has passed the Senate. If it has (and the governor signs it) you may be able to legally sell homemade cakes to the cake supply shop wholesale, but I believe it would still be illegal if you were baking at home as an employee of the shop.

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cakeyouverymuch Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 10:24pm
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What, exactly does "bake cakes at home" mean? Who's paying for supplies, who's paying for your electricity bill and other overhead? How would you go about calculating your overhead? Who would decide how much you are being reimbursed for your costs? How would you keep track of your hours worked at home in order to calculate a fair wage for your labor?

Even if it were legal there are far too many points at which this sort of venture could wind up actually costing you money.

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costumeczar Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 11:10pm
post #5 of 29

no. no no. no. no. noooooooooo.

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BlakesCakes Posted 30 Aug 2012 , 11:38pm
post #6 of 29

My jaw is still on the floor...............Where in the world would a business owner come up with such a silly requirement for an employee??

Why would he want to accept the liability of a such a scheme (or would he?)???
How would payment be calculated? By the cake, by the hourly wage for the employee?

I do know that jobs are hard to come by, but this sounds like a BAD one. If he's willing to be so blatant in providing copyrighted/character cakes AND cakes made in home kitchens (currently against the law in CA), I don't want to think about what other ways he might be willing to compromise an employee for his own gain....................

Best of luck,
Rae

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tbkimber Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 12:11am
post #7 of 29

Run away as fast as you can!!! This is unbelievable! I think the reasons have already been covered by those who have already posted. This can turn around and bite you in the butt on so many levels with liability being the top one. I know what it is like to really need a job but I think you have already made up your mind and you just needed a little support that your decision was right. Consider yourself supported! icon_biggrin.gif

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kakeladi Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 1:43am
post #8 of 29

thanks for your replies. Most of them are my thoughts too.
As for the many ?s posed here, I didn't get into any details with him as he was not the one who would be doing the interview (he said). I have no idea if anyone else has put in an application at this point. This man was quite the talker. I had a time getting out of there. He had an answer for everything I objected to (oh, the HD turns a blind eye...)
The shop is suppose to be 'set up' to be able to do cakes, they just don't have the oven yet, I'm told. I've know that for about 10 yrs since they moved into that location. This is a new owner - about 2 yrs.
I'm going to at least see this out.... go to any interview they set up.....but won't accept under any of the above terms I've mentioned....icon_smile.gif

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costumeczar Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 2:31am
post #9 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by kakeladi

thanks for your replies. Most of them are my thoughts too.
As for the many ?s posed here, I didn't get into any details with him as he was not the one who would be doing the interview (he said). I have no idea if anyone else has put in an application at this point. This man was quite the talker. I had a time getting out of there. He had an answer for everything I objected to (oh, the HD turns a blind eye...)
The shop is suppose to be 'set up' to be able to do cakes, they just don't have the oven yet, I'm told. I've know that for about 10 yrs since they moved into that location. This is a new owner - about 2 yrs.
I'm going to at least see this out.... go to any interview they set up.....but won't accept under any of the above terms I've mentioned....icon_smile.gif




Whoa! the HD "turns a blind eye?" Not only would I not take that job, I'd drop a dime to the HD and tell them what he said!

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cakesbycathy Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 11:38am
post #10 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by costumeczar

Quote:
Originally Posted by kakeladi

thanks for your replies. Most of them are my thoughts too.
As for the many ?s posed here, I didn't get into any details with him as he was not the one who would be doing the interview (he said). I have no idea if anyone else has put in an application at this point. This man was quite the talker. I had a time getting out of there. He had an answer for everything I objected to (oh, the HD turns a blind eye...)
The shop is suppose to be 'set up' to be able to do cakes, they just don't have the oven yet, I'm told. I've know that for about 10 yrs since they moved into that location. This is a new owner - about 2 yrs.
I'm going to at least see this out.... go to any interview they set up.....but won't accept under any of the above terms I've mentioned....icon_smile.gif



Whoa! the HD "turns a blind eye?" Not only would I not take that job, I'd drop a dime to the HD and tell them what he said!




Agreed! Dollars to doughnuts this place gets caught and this guy will find a way to put all the blame on YOUR shoulders. And if this is the attitude towards obeying the law, I wonder what other health and safety he's willing to turn a blind eye to. I just can't imagine why you would want to put yourself in that position, needing a job or not. Is it really worth the risk for you?

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kelleym Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 12:31pm
post #11 of 29

My sister once worked at a coffee shop that sold sandwiches. Their only oven was a toaster oven in the back of the shop. The owner would roast turkeys at home, then bring them in to be used on the sandwiches. She would tell the HD that she roasted the turkey in the toaster oven. And they let that go. I'm willing to believe the HD turns a blind eye more often than we'd like to think.

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jason_kraft Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 3:48pm
post #12 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by kelleym

The owner would roast turkeys at home, then bring them in to be used on the sandwiches. She would tell the HD that she roasted the turkey in the toaster oven. And they let that go. I'm willing to believe the HD turns a blind eye more often than we'd like to think.



That's more an example of the business owner lying to the authorities than the HD turning a blind eye. If the business owner had told the HD that she roasted the turkeys at home I doubt they would just let that go.

Enforcement in central California is probably more lax than in the major metro areas, but it would still only take one tip to cause trouble.

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kelleym Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:01pm
post #13 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by kelleym

The owner would roast turkeys at home, then bring them in to be used on the sandwiches. She would tell the HD that she roasted the turkey in the toaster oven. And they let that go. I'm willing to believe the HD turns a blind eye more often than we'd like to think.


That's more an example of the business owner lying to the authorities than the HD turning a blind eye. If the business owner had told the HD that she roasted the turkeys at home I doubt they would just let that go.



No, it's an example of the HD turning a blind eye. It is implausible that any adult with a professional job could believe a *turkey* could be roasted in a *toaster oven*. So if it's not a blind eye, it's an appalling lack of deductive reasoning that rises to the level of sheer incompetence.

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Baker_Rose Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:06pm
post #14 of 29

Okay, maybe I read it wrong, but since when does a cake supply shop make cakes?

Don't they sell supplies and give help to people making their own cakes? That's the main reason to have the employees also be experienced cake people, to help customers, but not to bake cakes to be brought in to sell??

Sounds shady on so many levels, and who knows about the HD. My husband has been in MANY restaurants in his job and he says most of them he would NEVER eat there.

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jason_kraft Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:10pm
post #15 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by kelleym

No, it's an example of the HD turning a blind eye. It is implausible that any adult with a professional job could believe a *turkey* could be roasted in a *toaster oven*. So if it's not a blind eye, it's an appalling lack of deductive reasoning that rises to the level of sheer incompetence.



It's certainly possible to roast a turkey in a toaster oven, many toaster ovens are essentially countertop convection ovens these days that can easily handle a small to medium size turkey.

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kelleym Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:12pm
post #16 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by kelleym

No, it's an example of the HD turning a blind eye. It is implausible that any adult with a professional job could believe a *turkey* could be roasted in a *toaster oven*. So if it's not a blind eye, it's an appalling lack of deductive reasoning that rises to the level of sheer incompetence.


It's certainly possible to roast a turkey in a toaster oven, many toaster ovens are essentially countertop convection ovens these days that can easily handle a small to medium size turkey.



Here we go again. It was 20 years ago. The toaster oven in question could not roast a turkey, by any stretch of the imagination.

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jason_kraft Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:15pm
post #17 of 29

Sorry, I'm still working on my psychic skills. icon_wink.gif If this was 20 years ago that does indeed sound implausible, but then again that was 6+ revisions of the food code ago.

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kelleym Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:16pm
post #18 of 29

Well, you clearly know more about it than I do. I'm out.

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jason_kraft Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:16pm
post #19 of 29
Quote:
Originally Posted by Baker_Rose

Okay, maybe I read it wrong, but since when does a cake supply shop make cakes?



I've seen several cake supply shops that supplement their business by making cakes, retail margins are pretty thin so it's tough for cake supply shops to be self-sufficient.

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reginaherrin Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 4:41pm
post #20 of 29

The cake supply store I go to recently started selling cakes, but by the looks of their cake dummies I would never order from there. It is amazing the things people will try to do in order to cut corners and be cheap. More then likely you would not be reimbursed correctly for the cakes you made at home.

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heynannie Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 7:27pm
post #21 of 29

Hey Kakeladi....
LET THIS GO on by like water off a ducks back.
Im sure most would agree we do what we do as cakers and bakers because we enjoy bringing JOY. This isn't something you would be happy about down the line...what goes around comes around... At least you are HONESTLY UNEMPLOYED at this time.....the same one inviting you for the ride is the one that will be throwin you under the bus...for real...I will be praying for you to gain HONEST EMPLOYMENT....<333>< ...no right way to do wrong.

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kakeladi Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 9:03pm
post #22 of 29

To tell the truth, I'm very sorry to say,........*MANY* yrs ago I tried to pull a fast one on the HD once icon_sad.gif I baked a 16" R @ home as my shop oven wasn't big enough. I kept a 1/2 round pan at the shop to 'cover' for me BUT.... the HD inspector didn't buy my story for sure! I was warned not to do it again, but they didn't stop me from using (the baked @ home) tier. That inspector was know for being a very hard nosed/by the book one.
That same inspector came into a neighboring food store that had been open for like 8 rys and walk straight to the employee bathroom door and announce they were shut down because that door didn't have a self-closing mechinizem(sp?) on it - yes, after they had been open for years & had been inspected amny times before!
As Kelleym said: can't understand an inspector buying that story about a turkey being cooked in a toaster oven!

I have heard stories about one inspector coming in asking for some very expensive work to be done only to have a differebt inspector come back after it's done and say NO! that's all wrong - tear it out.
Inspectors can change their minds &/or vary from one to another within the same office.

Thanks heyannieicon_smile.gif As I said, I am interested enough to at least interview, if I'm called, just ot see/know *exactly* what is expected/wanted of an employe but don't expect to accept under the terms laid out so far icon_smile.gif

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heynannie Posted 31 Aug 2012 , 11:36pm
post #23 of 29

Hang on in there Kakeladi...your day is coming and it is going to be so awesome...Prayin' take cake...er um I mean Care ...lol <333><

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mommachris Posted 1 Sep 2012 , 4:57pm
post #24 of 29

So...where is this supply store. Since you mentioned that the other one in town closed...I've been thinking there weren't any more near by us.
You can pm me if you'd rather not say on the forum.


mommachris

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BakingIrene Posted 1 Sep 2012 , 5:45pm
post #25 of 29

I know of one cake supply shop that got itself certified so that they could sell wedding cakes. They went into this because they had so many people asking for the service, who started out at the shop thinking they could bake their own...

But they did it all legal and aboveboard. I wouldn't hesitate to work at such a shop. I would RUN LIKE HELL from any other deal...I think they are avoiding the expense of liability insurance for selling foods that may well be perishable.

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Godot Posted 2 Sep 2012 , 7:51pm
post #26 of 29

Not only would I no way not ever take that job, but I would report this place of business to the Health Department - and use his words exactly about baking the cakes at home in a non CFL state.

Some people.

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carmijok Posted 2 Sep 2012 , 8:56pm
post #27 of 29

I love the comments about HD. No, not ALL inspectors are above board. Many will turn a 'blind eye' as long as an owner pays them not to notice things. Shocking I know. icon_rolleyes.gif I mean seriously...have you not seen all those 'Kitchen Nightmare' and Restaurant Impossible shows where they often find incredibly filthy and unsanitary practices that have gone on for YEARS? I wonder why no one mentions the HD in those episodes?

In answer to the person who is shocked a cake supply store would bake cakes, at first it may seem odd--but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. It supplements revenue and they are not really in competition with anyone since most of the customers are home hobbyists. Those that are professionals generally buy their own supplies wholesale, but they appreciate the convenience of having a supply store close that offers professional quality products for emergencies and last-minute issues.

And to the OP's issue, I'd say run! What kind of bakery would allow someone to bake a cake from their house and use that to represent their business? I mean, besides the obvious issues of liability, the mere fact of consistency of product is at issue! How do they know what recipe someone is following? How stupid is that? I'd love to hear what the interviewer says though. Please report back.

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kakeladi Posted 26 Oct 2012 , 2:34am
post #28 of 29

They never called back and I never followed through after considering all the comments here and talking it through w/my daughter. Still no job of any kind icon_sad.gif

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Jennifer353 Posted 26 Oct 2012 , 9:26am
post #29 of 29

Sounds like a lucky escape. I would still report him to the HD for sure.

Would selling your cakes from home be an option for you now since the Cottage Food Act has been passed?

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