Buddy Valastro of TLC’s hit show, Cake Boss, is bringing his speaking tour to Norfolk on November 3rd. Ahead of his upcoming show, this Examiner had to opportunity to sit down and talk with Buddy about his tour, his life, and of course, the bakery.
KK: What made you want to put together a speaking tour?
BV: It started from a motivational speech I gave at a college, where I spoke about my family and my journey at Carlo’s Bakery. I had a lot of people come up to me afterward about how much they enjoyed my message. I wanted to be able to reach out to more people, and decided to incorporate that element into an interactive show where I could bring people up on stage and teach them methods that my father taught me.
KK: What kind of techniques do you demonstrate during the show?
BV: It’s very interactive- I like to pull my audience up on stage as much as possible. I show everyone some of my technique with cake decorating, we make sugar roses, and I bring some kids up to decorate buttercream flower cupcakes. Then, at the end, I have a surprise finale.
KK: What tips do you have for beginner bakers or people that are scared of baking?
BV: Don’t be scared! I bake everything from scratch, but don’t be afraid to try a boxed mix to start out. I know a lot of people are worried about messing up their mix, but baking is a science. Look for helpful instructions from a book- I actually have a new book, Baking with the Cake Boss, coming out November 1st that walks the home baker through the entire process of making a decorated cake.
KK: The saying goes, “you’re either good at cooking or baking”. Personally, I like both but I’m a better baker. Do you cook too?
BV: You can definitely do both! I’m Italian, and grew up in the kitchen baking and cooking with my parents. Mostly everyone in my family is a great cook, with the exception of my sister Grace. We try to have dinners together as much as possible, and everyone has their special dishes.
KK: What’s your signature dish?
BV: My signature is definitely steak pizzaiola. The key to a good meal is simplicity and the right seasoning. I want people to approach cooking and baking with confidence- you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
KK: Do you let your kids help you in the kitchen – whether it’s baking or cooking?
BV: My kids are always in the kitchen with me- I bring them to the bakery and let them decorate cakes, and they also try to help me and my wife Lisa cook dinner at night. In my show “Kitchen Boss,” I even brought them in to help me make some of their favorite breakfast foods. It’s important to show them how to follow instructions and use their imagination to create something.
KK: My favorite dessert flavor combination is chocolate and almond. What are your 2 favorite flavor combos for desserts?
BV: I love combining something creamy with a crispy pastry texture- something like my dad’s cream puff cake or a lobster tail. It’s an old-school Italian style dessert combination that was always around our house growing up.
KK: God forbid, if today was your last day on earth, what would be your final meal – including dessert?
BV: That’s a no-brainer. My wife is a fantastic cook, so I would have her eggplant. For dessert, I would pick either a lobster tail or a chocolate volcano cake.
KK: Being an Italian-American transplant from New England, I can appreciate the tastes, smells and flavors of an Italian bakery unfortunately there are none here in Norfolk. How would you describe an Italian bakery to someone that has never experienced one?
BV: The big thing with an Italian bakery is the smell- all of the flavors whirling together to make the most amazing aroma. Our store is always filled to the top with fresh pastries, Italian and American cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and other treats. We have display cases lining the interior so that customers can see all of our products on the shelves. Trust me, no one goes home empty handed after they pop into Carlo’s Bakery.
Buddy Valastro will be at the Chrysler Hall on Thursday, November 3rd at 7:30pm for his Bakin’ with the Boss tour. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or the Scope Arena Box Office.
For more information about The Bakin' with the Boss Tour, visit Seven Venues.
For more information about Buddy Valastro or the bakery, visit TLC or Carlo's Bakery.
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