Like many talented culinary artists, Julia Baker started out pursuing a career path much different from that of the successful chocolatier and entrepreneur she is today.
Leaving behind her original work as a statistician, she followed her passion for food to Paris, where she studied at Le Cordon Bleu. Graduating first in her class in 2002, Julia earned the Grande Diplôme de Cuisine and de Pâtisserie.
In 2004, Julia moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, and started a catering company called Gateaux & Chocolats, prior to founding Julia Baker Confections in 2006.
Her luxury chocolates and custom cake creations have attracted the attention of a number of celebrities including Alicia Keys, Jennifer Aniston and Paris Hilton, earning her the reputation as "Chocolatier to the Stars."
Despite her well deserved success, Julia still writes and creates all of her recipes and personally trains a select staff to assist in creating her beautiful desserts. She is also the sole designer and creator of her celebrated custom cakes.
How often do you create new chocolate recipes?I am always creating, however it takes a really great recipe to make it into the chocolate line that we sell for retail. I only add to that line about twice a year, and it is usually the holidays that inspire me!
Well, of course making chocolate purses for Paris Hilton was fun, but as all of my friends know, my favorite creation was a 4-foot-tall solid chocolate Joshua Tree for Bono and the band U2. It was my chocolate interpretation of the same Joshua tree on their album cover of the same name.
Bottom line... I have a HUGE sweet tooth! Even though most people look at me and doubt that I eat my own product, people closest to me can tell you that I do, indeed, eat chocolate... and cake...and LOTS OF IT! I adore all things sweet, and that is ultimately what took me out of fish & beef in the restaurant where I worked in Paris and into the pastry kitchen.
My favorite chocolate combination depends on the day! If I am happy, I go for my milk caramel truffle; if I am stressed, I usually eat our dark coconut truffle... followed by our dark hazelnut truffle... followed by our milk ganache hand cut chocolates... followed by dark ganache... and lots of 'em! And then there's the chocolate for when you are in love... passion fruit... ooh la la... oh yah, don't forget another caramel truffle! (See, I really do love this stuff!!)
Oh geez, just like my favorite flavor, inspiration comes from whatever mood I'm in... I'm an artistic person so I'm very passionate, crazy and dramatic! So, my mood of the day is definitely seen in my creations.
Custom cakes are a HUGE time-consuming process. People wonder why they are so expensive, but they don't see the time and labor that goes into them. It all starts with the design consultation. I sit down with the bride-to-be or the party giver, and we discuss the wedding or event. We talk about the theme, the colors, the focal points, the menu - the overall feel that the person wants to portray. Then we discuss likes and dislikes. We then have a tasting so the person can choose what flavor(s) they want in the cake (chocolate usually always wins!). Then the person leaves and my work begins.
I sketch and sketch and sketch... and think... and think... and think. And unfortunately it is not something that is just done in my office. If I have the cake designer's version of "writer's block" or I just am not happy with what is coming out on paper... then it stays with me, and I have to work it out at home, at the gym, in bed... it doesn't leave your mind. With really big cakes, they never truly leave your mind until about a month after the event - because even once the cake is made and the event has happened, my mind still floats back to that cake and changes that I would make.
Once a design is on paper, depending on the complexity, we will usually make a model of the cake in our kitchen. Building a model solves a lot of the same problems that an architect may encounter... sizing, stability and overall looks. After that, colors are made and matched with colors submitted by the bride or party planner for the cake icing and any décor. And most of our time is spent making the décor and other elements like flowers or even building bases, supports, or even cake boards.
The week of the event we bake all the cake and get busy filling, frosting, and decorating. That's when you find out if all of your planning was done well or not. Since our kitchen is now quite seasoned, most of the time there are no real crises, but that doesn't mean that we never have to scramble. Then there is the most nerve-wracking part of the whole job... the delivery and set-up! It is incredibly stressful transporting a large cake and can be even more stressful assembling it depending on the design! Then more decorating and final touches.
The last thing always done... the final photo... aahhh...that's the best part of our job... all of that work and we actually DO have something to show for it! It is physically brutal most of the time, mentally-challenging, and very, very emotional. People pay a lot of money to have one of my cakes - it is their special day, and we want it to be perfect for them! That's a lot of pressure... but in the end, I love being able to make people smile and help make their event extraordinary.
Posted by: Lynne Webb
Categories:
Culinary Artist Spotlight
I found it most interesting that a model of the cake is made ~I had never thought of that as part of the creation. It is fascinating.
Posted by: Barbara Sugerman on June 23, 2009 (1)
The cakes look more like art than food. However if she finished first in her class at the Cordon Bleu, they must taste pretty good.
Posted by: Bill Loutos on June 23, 2009 (2)
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