Duff Goldman in Food Network’s “The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown.” PHOTO COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK
THE SWEETEST THING Chef Duff Goldman’s Expanding Empire
By April Neale
Food Network sensation Duff Goldman is mastering the world of TV chef stardom. The “Ace of Cakes” star’s new deal with Food Network, announced exclusively by Variety in September, sees the continuation of Goldman's beloved "Baking Championship" franchise and a brand new upcoming holiday event series, "The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown." What began in 2006 when the network debuted "Ace of Cakes," (a reality show featuring the Charles Village [Baltimore] destination bakery, Charm City Cakes team, and Chef Duff), is now three series starring this best-selling cookbook author and chef-preneur with distinctly different competitive premises. Of late, Goldman has been the face of series like "Ace of Taste," "Cake Masters," "Dessert Games," "Buddy vs. Duff," "Duff Takes the Cake," and "Duff 's Happy Fun Bake Time," which he balances with a young family, sales through Goldbelly, and several locations for his Charm City Cakes bakeries as well as 12
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Duff 's CakeMix, a DIY cake decorating studio franchise concept. Duff 's empire is rising like perfectly proofed dough. Goldman’s "Holiday Baking Championship," where bakers flex their skills, premieres on Nov. 6. Goldman appreciates the challenge it presents to contestants. "Finishing is the hardest part; making it clean, as cake, buttercream frosting, and sugar is not forgiving. Cake is malleable, and what makes cakes so difficult to work with is creating art that looks finished and clean," he said. But the chemistry isn’t just happening in the kitchen. Duff and fellow judges Carla Hall and Nancy Fuller are having a genuinely good time, all year round. "When the cameras are on, we're already going, but when they turn them off, it doesn't stop. The fun keeps going, and we stay in touch through text messages or whenever we see each other all year,” Goldman said. He reports that Fuller and his mom are friends, and frequently tell on him to one another. “Nancy will call me to say, 'Call your mom. You haven't called her in three days’," joked Goldman.
