Call Me Crazy, But I Sent A Challenge To Charm City Cakes!!
Decorating By Cakenicing4u Updated 12 Feb 2007 , 5:03pm by MrsMissey
This one must certify me as insane.
I was on the food network site, and checked out the Ace of cakes section. In it, there is a video clip... How did we get here? or something similar. Watch it. In it, two of the girls make comments about how afraid they are that people think that when they say they're a cake decorater, that they work at Giant and make those awful cakes. Grrrr. 
I work at Giant, and I am a cake decorater, and I am hurt by it. So, I sent a challenge straight to charm city, asking them to let me come down and show them why our cakes look the way they do. They bake the cakes, give them to charity or something, and I'll show them how it's done. 60 cakes a day is not easy, and I am damn proud of what I do. I would love to have a shop like they do, with as much talent as they have. Just because I don't work for them, doesn't mean that I am not as good as I can be at what I have to do.
We'll see what happens... 
Goodluck with that. I too hate Giants cakes. Nothing against you, just never liked Giants cakes 
But a throwdown sounds like fun!
I understand that your feelings are hurt but yes it is TV. I don't think they were saying that you were less worthy of being talented. What they do is custom work and you are doing production work.
You have a quota you meet everyday correct?
I would not compare what I do to my local grocery chain. So chin up and know that you are proud of what you do so that is all that matters--TV is nver real!
I think it would be awesome.
I do both...production at work
my stuff at home.
I am forever getting smug remarks from members when they request something we aren't permitted to do.
For instance, one day, a member came in and requested that daisies be put on her cake. I informed her that she couldn't have daisies. She then says, "OOOOOOOOOh, you don't know how to make daisies!" Feeling heat rise, I said, "Oh no, I can do anything. Daisies aren't one of the choices we offer here. If it ain't in the book, ain't on the board, ain't in the case, that means, it AIN'T one of your choices."
You just had to be there with that one. She truly, and I ain't exaggerating, wanted (and she brought drawings and layouts for this cake) a cake worthy of at least 150.00...for the 26.95 price! It wasn't just daisies she wanted...
We are to do 10-12 cakes a hour there. At home, it's more like 10-12 hours for a cake.
I agree though, some think that because you work in a chain bakery that that is all your talent is limited to.
YEAH I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL. I WORK FOR SAM'S CLUB I AM THE ONLY DECORATOR THERE EXPECTED TO DO AT LEAST 10 CAKES AN HOUR IF NOT MORE. AND PEOPLE KEEP SNIPPITEY IF I TELL THEM THAT SOMETHING ISNT AVAILABLE. THEN THEY CANT BELIEVE I DO WEDDING CAKES BECAUSE AFTER ALL, ALL I DO AT WORK IS BASIC ROSES AND BALLONS. PEOPLE THAT DONT DECORATE REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH PRIDE WE PUT INTO IT. I TELL PEOPLE IF THEY WANT SO BAD ILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIE THEM SOME ICIN AND LET THEM GO AT IT.
While I dont have any experience working in a bakery or store (if you dont count when I was 15 washing dishes and sneaking cupcakes LOL!) I understand what you are feeling. I think it probably feels like they are putting down your job, and that doesnt feel very good. I do agree though that it is two different things, production verses custom cakes. Not everyone wants a $1000 cake for that matter! It doesnt mean that you dont have the talent to create a cake such as the ones they make.
Ladies I feel your pain, I too, was a dept lead in a walmart bakery. Fortunately, for us, if you could do it in buttercream, we were allowed to do it (barring the copyright thing and after all they are a family oriented company (ha!)). I to had to do the so many cakes n hour thing. Unfortunately, for me,(sigh) the cakes that they have at walmart are the ones most people want (that style anyway) Talk about no imagination at all. OMG!!!!
I did have one lady who complained about the price of a two tier walmart cake (OMG) I told her to call around and see if she could find anyone cheaper (of course she couldn't) I didn't hear from her again. Thank God!!!!!
I love it! A throwdown...(maybe) I hope you do get a response and an opportunity to show him (Duff) a thing or two about a thing or two. I'm behind you 100%!
yeah I'm getting a little tired of hearing his goofy laugh( which takes him all the way to the bank...lol!), but at least he is nice enough to give his staff a lot of credit.
Wyatt..it's not a trowdown..it's a CAKE DOWN! weaaaapa!
May I say that the number of cakes you put out is astonishing! I've heard (more than once) that hobby cake decorators (I'm one) have no idea the stress and pressure a bakery puts on a decorator. I'm duly impressed! I, too, am a bit tired of Duff and a "throw down" is a great idea. Hopefully, he'll take you up on the challange.
I'll bet cake artists like that may look down on production decorators, but let me tell you..
it's really hard to pump them out. I did about 50 a day when I worked for Cold Stone Creamery...you can so zone out when you do this..lol
Ooh, ooh, the gloves are on, and the main event is about to begin!
Introducing, in this corner, the challenger from Pennsylvania, coming in with 120 pounds of Bettercream, cakenicing4u.
And in this corner, the champion, wearing the cutoff jeans, Duff and his Charm City cornermen!
Do I have time to get popcorn? What time does the first round bell go off? How much are the tickets? I'm nearsighted, so keep a seat up front for me, I'll be there! Oh, damn, too much soda, I have to pee! Don't start until I get back!
Theresa 
I have seen that video clip before. I honestly don't think they mean any harm by it.
I get the point they are making. I told my GM that I did cakes and he was like "yay you do cakes". I said "no I really do cakes". A week or so later he said " Hey Mary, When you said you do cakes I was picturing a sheet cake!---You really do cakes!"
Go Figure--I actually have had several people say the exact same thing.
Good for you! Count me one of the one's just about over Duff.
I, too, have worked in a couple of supermarket chains, as a decorator and a bakery manager. The work is very different. The chains want quantity, not necessarily quality. But I agree that many of the decorators are sold short because the chains do not allow decorators to be creative. But creativity takes time, and time is money. I am saddened that many do not look at cake decrating as ART...thank goodness for CC!
Good for you for putting out a challeneg to Ace of Cakes. I would feel the same way also. I used to do cakes at Tim Horton's here in Canada and I would do 7-8 cakes a day or more depending on the time of year, like Valentines day. It was tough because you would have to get them out quickly. People don't really understand sometimes the work it takes especially when they give you afew hours of notice.
I just watch Ace of Cakes for the first time on Friday and I was quite surprised at his personality. I was expecting to see a biker kind of personality and it was quite the opposite. I remember reading in another thread and on here that it looked like his employees did more than he did. I do feel that he could do more around the place than what he was really doing. I would like to see him do more around the place that is for sure.
Just don't let people get you down when they make comments about what you do. You know that it takes alot of work and that is what counts. Although, I know that sometimes you would like to take those that make comments that belittle you by the shoulders and give them a shake or maybe even give them a little smack across the face! I know I do sometimes!!
I asked a master decorator about Duff, and she told me that he is one of the sweetest, nicest guys she ever met. I trust this person's opinion implicitly, so maybe that is just his tv persona that we see when we watch.
Carolann - the special we were talking about in the other thread (CC celebrities) was on Sunday night. Duff's program is regularly scheduled for 10:30 PM Eastern Time. What time would it be on out there in Kansas? Have you checked the TV section of the FN website? All the daily listings are there.
Theresa
Move over Bobby Flay... let the Duff Throwdown begin!!! You go girl!! I'd love to see a throwdown happen
Tmriga, I guess I should have said that I thought his personality comes across and a nice guy. When I saw him in a picture he just looks like a biker kind of personality but I guess that shows we don't judge a book by it's cover. Nice to hear or should I say read that he is a nice guy in real life.
yes, someone that knows him also said he was a nice guy...but ..the danger of doing these tv shows is that they get you fed up too quickly of the "personality".
and if anyone states that getting 50 cakes out a day...and get them consistant is not an ART..
Well, cover them in Butter cream and roll them in the cake crumbs!
Even getting good enough to "SPEED DECORATE" takes skill and ability!
I'm sure that if you had all the time in the world you'd make each cake a bleedin' masterpiece!
and not to shabby in the time you have alloted!
Janicecold -
No offense taken, just expressing the opinion of someone I trust.
Theresa
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