Ace of Cakes: Duff Goldman

INSTEAD OF CULINARY SCHOOL SNOTS, the man Food Network viewers know as "Ace of Cakes" exclusively hires art school grads to work in his Baltimore bake shop. He'll explain why next Thursday night at the Corcoran. And if you want to get on his good side, ask about his sweet ride (a jet-black '62 Corvette) and his rock band (he's the bass player).

» EXPRESS: How did you realize cake was your artistic medium?
» GOLDMAN: When I first started out, I made a cake for a couple that wanted something Gustav Klimt-inspired. I got this idea that I would do one that looked like "The Kiss." So, the wedding was at this winery, and I was bringing the cake into a barn to put onto a barrel, when the sun started setting. I had used all of these awesome golds and metallics, and the cake just started to glow. And I knew I had to do more of this.

» EXPRESS: Where do you fall on the buttercream versus fondant debate?
» GOLDMAN: All of our cakes have fondant because it's so much more versatile and you can do so much stuff to it. But buttercream tastes better. So, we frost everything with buttercream and then cover it with fondant, so they can peel it off. Fondant is just what you play with. We get all of these people saying it's gross that we touch the cakes a lot and don't wear gloves, but we wash our hands and nobody eats the fondant anyway. So, shut up.

» EXPRESS: How did you get the name Duff?
» GOLDMAN: My real name is Jeffrey. But when my parents told my older brother, "This is Jeffrey," he kept saying, "Duffy." My parents said, "Call him what you want," and then they started calling me Duffy, too. So, when I started school, the teacher reached "Jeffrey Goldman" on the roll cal,l and I didn't say anything. I didn't know that was my name. In college, I dropped the "y" to be cooler. But if my name was Jeffrey Goldman, I'd be a CPA right now.

» EXPRESS: And what about your hairstyle?
» GOLDMAN: I was going home during college and I had these big dreadlocks — long enough to chew on. I was leaving at 10 o'clock at night, and I had to stay awake, so I drank a lot of coffee. I get home and my mom answers the door at 6 a.m., and I'm standing there with these dreadlocks. And in my weakened mental state, I allowed her to give me a haircut. Then I needed to shave my head. And I loved it, so I kept it. Now if it gets more than a 30th of an inch, I can't take it. Since I don't want to look like Shel Silverstein, I have to shave my face, too. Sometimes my facial hair is a stripe or a dash or a triangle. It's a little something I play with. The hair is an art form. And you realize the utility of a shaved head. You brush your teeth and you're ready.

» EXPRESS: You do cake and hair. What else?
» GOLDMAN: I'm really good at dressing women and knowing what they should be wearing. Like, you would look good in a muumuu, or a print skirt and a baby tee. And it's not just women. Men, too. The problem is I don't have that eye for myself. So, it's a hockey jersey and cargo shorts every time.

» EXPRESS: Where can we find you hanging out in Baltimore?
» GOLDMAN: We're always at the Ottobar a couple blocks from the bakery in Charles Village. There's an awesome jukebox. And right across the street is the Dizz, which has the best burgers in Baltimore and a vegetarian menu. Half of my staff is vegan, but I'm the Jew who loves bacon.

Photo courtesy of Food Network