Ace Of Cakes Really Isn't That Great...
Decorating By Shakti Updated 14 Nov 2008 , 6:46am by Curtsmin24
Duff is not the only one out there who can do cakes. But so what if he is the one who Food Network picked to have a cake show of his own !! Is that too bad ? Duff is a Pastry Chef. It just happens that he can afford to pay people to work for him. I think this complain is so pointless and lame. You are bashing him just because others like him are not on TV ? Is that his fault ? What are you gonna do about ? If you do not like Ace, then don't watch !! But I'm sure he doesn't care, he doesn't know you anyway.
I personally enjoy Duff and his staff. If it weren't for the show, alot of us wouldn't want to "up our game" Some of us (especially me) were happy just doing the regular stuff and needed the challenge. Of course he is not the only one out there, but he is one that was willing to let everyone in on their secrets.
I think that it has also helped people to see how hard we work. It takes time to come up with these creations. Lastly, it has helped to back up why we charge what we do for the cakes. Planning, baking, decorating, etc. all time, and time is money.
Actually no. He may not be the most talented decorator in all the world, but he's never claimed to be. I agree, there are some people that I would say are more talented, but I certainly wouldn't want to see them on TV. I tried watching that one called Sugar-something (Sugar Rush, maybe?) on Food Network and couldn't stand the guy. Duff is a super-cool guy, can pull off a show and he is good at what he does. Why shouldn't he have a show? Who knows if Debbiedoescakes is a snore (although her cakes are fabulous)?
Yes, it was Sugar Rush and now he has a new from scratch cake cookbook called "Cake Love" after his shop. I know what you mean though about his personality which was just ho-hum. However, I did see him in person and he was fantastic and just had a lot of personality too. He just couldn't transfer it to tv.
Duff has a great personality and is funny as heck. His staff makes the show though. Geoff is funny as heck and he's really talented.
Duff is not the only one out there who can do cakes. But so what if he is the one who Food Network picked to have a cake show of his own !! Is that too bad ? Duff is a Pastry Chef. It just happens that he can afford to pay people to work for him. I think this complain is so pointless and lame. You are bashing him just because others like him are not on TV ? Is that his fault ? What are you gonna do about ? If you do not like Ace, then don't watch !! But I'm sure he doesn't care, he doesn't know you anyway.
AMEN!!!
I Love Duff and watch his show all the time but I always wonder if hair gets in his cake everybody that works on his cakes have a lot of hair hanging over their shoulders except Duff and the other night he was decorating a cake($1000 min I'm sure) and he accidentally got icing on his hands while decorating he wiped his hands on his pants and kept decorating I wear a hair net and glovers and I have to give my cakes away because its against the law in my state to sell my little cakes. I try so hard to be clean I also bleach down my kitchen every time I make my cakes. My min charge Free Then I spend extra on boxes and plastic wrap to transport them. GO FIGURE
Molly2
I just made this Red Sox themed groom's cake for my cousin's wedding in Annapolis, MD. Everyone really loved it and were convinced it was a Charm City Cakes cake (I can understand that, everyone knows who they are and they're right up the highway in Baltimore)! My cousin made sure to clarify that I made it and I got an amazing amount of kudos from the guests. I have to say, it was the highest form of praise to be compared to their cakes!
I think the show is really entertaining and boy if I could have that much fun at a job, I'd be psyched!
Duff is not the only one out there who can do cakes. But so what if he is the one who Food Network picked to have a cake show of his own !! Is that too bad ? Duff is a Pastry Chef. It just happens that he can afford to pay people to work for him. I think this complain is so pointless and lame. You are bashing him just because others like him are not on TV ? Is that his fault ? What are you gonna do about ? If you do not like Ace, then don't watch !! But I'm sure he doesn't care, he doesn't know you anyway.
AMEN!!!
Heâs great. No he isnât the ONLY cake decorator out there but he does have his own show so why should I hate?
I love him and his show. Why does anyone get to come on here and bash him? I think it's jealousy. All it is.
I love watching the construction - Last night at 11pm they made some amazing cakes!
I watch it because I love their sense of humor, their camaraderie, and my husband loves to watch it with me because of all that.
Duff doesn't have a huge ego, he and his staff make you feel as if you could invite them to a BBQ and have an amazing time!
Other's may add more detail, but have boring personalities and huge ego's (I've heard some name-calling referring to Colette).
Mainly, I'm glad he's televised bacause it makes it much easier to explain the kind of cakes I make: "Have you seen Ace of Cake's?"
I have to agree with PinkZiab and the others who have said that it is about screen presence AND cake making. Let's face it. It is a fun show and they are a silly bunch of people. If someone pointed a camera at me while I made a cake, the audience would quickly get bored.
Everyone's talents lie in different areas. While Duff and his crew don't always go the traditional everything-is-edible route, his cake architecture is HIS style and his on screen antics keep us tuning in. Besides, they have made some really fabulous cakes.
I like the fun they have brought to cake decorating and am thrilled with the fact that more people realize that a cake doesn't have to be a sheet cake with some roses stuck on it.
I love the show, its that he's different than the regular cake decorater, he adds a new dimension, plus makes beautiful cakes. They never really show the pretty cakes, its always the different, cakes they show. I do have a problem with some o the aspects of the show, the people they model out of fondant looks so basic, and they all look the same, you would think by now they could improve on them. I have seen people on cc that have way outdone what they do. I just think they are taking the easy way out, not putting enough time in them. If I got paid that kind of money, I sure would.
Thanks to Duff, I heard about Satin Ice fondant. What a lifesaver it has been. Also learned how to use Rice Krispies to mold shapes (thanks to the person who posed the 3-D Elmo on this website last year. It was a huge hit for my best friend's 2 year old granddaughter who loves "Melmo".)
I think we all learn from watching others, mistakes and all. I can hardly wait for each week's show to see something new.
Well, I love cake. And I love carving it up. And I love Duff. but I think I love Geoff more. If I could leave my DH (and NOT Darling today!) I would go and marry either one of them. Flip a coin!
there is a reason that his cakes START at $1,000 and I'm selling mine for $3.00 a serving.
And as soon as any of you nay-sayers get your own show, I'll watch you too, but until then, it is WAY easier to sit in your arm-chair and call the plays than it is to be the quarter-back.
I really enjoy watching the show. I don't think I'll ever get into making sculpted, fondant-covered masterpieces, but I do love watching them do it! They are all just so... personable.
WOW-it's been a LONG time since this thread was last posted.
I agree that I have seen better artistry (even here), but I have not seen a group of people that I never want to miss since Friends. I love the staff. From Mary Alice and her goofy sarcastic wit to Geoff's dry humor to Duff's infectious laugh. They are all just FUN. I would forget everything I'm trying to learn to be an intern at CCC for a month...even just to wash the pans.
I am glad that Duff has brought some amazing artistry into light and taught me a thing or two about construction. I do agree with a previous poster that wished he would mention how much a cake cost every once in awhile...just to keep the general audience informed.
I'm with Doug-it's about the fun relationships and entertainment that just happen to be in a cake studio.
I wouldn't "bash" Duff, but I think the point here is that he's not 'the best' cake decorator. .... I would like to see additional shows dealing exclusively with cake decorating.
Amen twice!!
I personally can't stand to watch his so because I find his laugh annoying and he does it all of the time. But I can see why people find his show interesting. I honestly think some of the people here have more talent than his team... even more so because you do it all - consult, bake, decorate, etc - and you do it by yourself. So kudos to you ladies. Oh, I do think we owe him a "thank you" for bringing positive attention to our industry.
And I cannot believe you guys are actually bickering over Duff! I'm certain he could care less whether either of you are defending or bashing him. So why alienate people in your community over him?
Just my two cents.
At the Totally Awesome Cake Contest that Duff judged, he said that the minimum charge was $500.00. They do 15 cakes a week. Which they don't need, but Mary Alice keeps it at 15 cakes a week. I know he said something about $3000.00 to with a cake, but not for sure if that was the highest priced or what?
Nicki
Oh yeah! The mistakes!!
Those have otbe a favorite feature because (1) I feel sooo much better seeing that he makes the same mistakes I do, and (2) my HUSBAND feels so much better knowing that it's not just me! I guess maybe he thought I wasn't professional enough after witnessing a few mishaps...
I enjoy the show and all the staff. I would love to be able to view inside the bakery for an entire week...there's such a variety of personalities that seem to just click.
I like to see how they create different cakes. Even though a lot of their cakes are formed using styrofoam or other non-edible construction forms, I definitely am brainstorming on how it can be done in cake/icing. I find the show beneficial.
I would agree that he isn't the greatest cake artist. The many that are far better might not:
Have the time to devote to a show
Have the desire to be on a show
Have what it takes to entertain
Have resources at hand to fill the gaps they may lack(Duff has on staff such a variety of creativity and humor that he couldn't possibly do alone)
...
i, too am a fan of duff and the gang.
but the only, dare i say complaint i have is- the hygiene ?spelling (sorry).
i see hair flowing, rough housing games and messy work stations.
im sure they are washing in between cakes and washing down their stations, but it never shows us.
ive seen a few episodes where, well lets just say ewwwwwwww.
but i can see why he is on tv. his laugh is 'awesome'!
and the crew is cool.
i know im a clean freak and i like to think other bakers are too.
other than that..........ROCK ON DUFF!
I love Duff and the Charm City gang! I just checked the Charm City Cakes website and they did increase the order minimum:
"Due to the care we give to each cake and the one-of-a-kind nature of each order, we require a minimum of $1000 on all of our cakes. "
I swear it was $500 a few months ago, but more power to them!
The 15 cakes a week which Nicki pointed out would mean they are taking in AT LEAST $15,000 per week just on the sale of cakes. How cool is that!??!?
As I have said earlier, this complain is LAME and POINTLESS to start with... but for people who like the show and everything about the show, don't expect us to put up and shut up.. because we WON'T...at least Duff does not put ugly looking fairies or mermaids on his cakes..
Holy crap, I forgot I wrote this post! I guess Duff sparks talk...and his show sparks interest in our industry...both great attributes I admire.
But I'm with y'all when you say you want more shows that are exclusively cake (and whoever made that stringwork comment in the beginning, go look at the debbie does cakes website I posted...that's certainly not stringwork and swiss dots!).
I'm going to read through all the replies later. On with the debate!! (discussion? talk? w/e!)
i, too am a fan of duff and the gang.
but the only, dare i say complaint i have is- the hygiene ?spelling (sorry).
i see hair flowing, rough housing games and messy work stations.
im sure they are washing in between cakes and washing down their stations, but it never shows us.
ive seen a few episodes where, well lets just say ewwwwwwww.
but i can see why he is on tv. his laugh is 'awesome'!
and the crew is cool.
i know im a clean freak and i like to think other bakers are too.
other than that..........ROCK ON DUFF!
I totally Agree Aundrea
I for one would be honored if upon delivering a cake it was compared to anything Iâve ever seen on Ace of Cakesâ¦I think Duff and the crew are quite talented!
CristinaB, Your fenway park cake is just fantastic. I love your little figures on top of the scoreboard. Is the hat made of cake and gumpaste. Everything looks so professional, and I am sure it tasted wonderful too! You really are an "ace" of cake.
why is duff that always gets the bashing? all i have to say is that he has his own show and he is loaded...why are you hating? i would love to be in his shoes!!!
No AMEN from me....sorry. Duff is not the best, and I agree that half of what he does isn't really cake. BUT, the show is about a bunch of people (none of whom were decorators when they started -- I mean c'mon, Geoff was a structural engineer or some sort of architect!) and Duff who started his business and lives above it. They do turn out great work, but nobody said they are the best. Mary Alice, Geoff, Duff, and the others just have such a great chemistry and a low-key attitude about it all that it just works. And, they also show some disasters and how they fix them -- I like that. It isn't all roses in there. Remember when the castle cake fell over as Geoff was delivering it? They really did a number to redo that cake! Anyway, I think you're being a little harsh on Duff, considering he's never claimed to be the best. And, he isn't afraid to give people like Colette Peters a call for something as simple as how to put horizontal stripes on a cake. Duff is just cool.
S.
"AMEN" ! I LOVE the SHOW, but if it weren't for Duff's staff, he wouldn't have a show !
I just finished watching an episode not 5 minutes ago. My biggest complaint is that Duff doesn't decorate! Ever! I never see him taking on a project all on his own. It's always Geof and those super talented girls who are pulling the weight.
Still enjoy it, though.
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