ALTERNATE CAREERS
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Warren Brown: Attorney Entrepreneur Turned Baker Restaurateur [By Judith Earley] A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker… Although Warren Brown’s B.A. in History from Brown University, and J.D. and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the George Washington University launched his legal career as a litigator in 1999 with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. in style, prosecuting civil cases in health care fraud for the government was not as fulfilling as he had anticipated; in less than one year, he was pursuing his part-time passion for baking cakes.
Brown initially went to law school to cultivate
basic equipment and took a leave of absence
the credentials to work as an advocate in
from HHS. A business plan he created
the area of reproductive health education.
eventually landed him a loan guaranteed
After graduating from Brown University he
by the Small Business Administration
worked as a reproductive health educator in
for $125,000. Powered by enthusiasm for
Providence, RI and in Los Angeles. He soon
creating cakes and frustration over his
became frustrated that the curriculum was
career as an attorney, Brown made a New
not applicable to the real life issues that kids
Year’s resolution in 2000 to begin selling
were facing. His plan was to combine a law
what he baked.
degree with advanced public health training,
The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Washingtonian magazine, The Plain Dealer, Brown Alumni Monthly, The George Washington University alumni magazine, What Should I Do With My Life? written by Po Bronson, Baking From The Heart, published by Share Our Strength, and Best Of The Best Of, by Marc Silverstein. He can also be seen regularly on the Food
and he went back to school. While he was
He maintained an exhausting schedule of
Network in “Sugar Rush”, in the kitchen
still working on his dual degrees, Brown
full-time legal work followed by three to five
whipping up incredibly creative and decadent
realized that there were few opportunities to
hours a night in the kitchen for ten months.
desserts. The show also features other
make the kind of difference he sought and he
Brown opened CakeLove bakery featuring
world-class pastry chefs sharing baking tips
took the position with HHS upon graduation.
homemade cakes from scratch in March
and sumptuous recipes.
2002 in the U Street corridor in Washington, Brown has been comfortable in the kitchen
D.C. He opened a second location Silver
since his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. His
Spring, MD, and the company also hosts a
father was a big fan of his son’s homemade
website showcasing the company’s cakes
burritos, However Brown didn’t set his hand
and anecdotes of his transition. Love Café
CakeLove
to baking until after he finished law school.
made its debut in August 2003.
www.cakelove.com/staff/founder.html
a lemon curd cake recipe discovered in Bon
Brown has been a favorite in the media with
United States Small Business Administration
Appetit Magazine, but his own unique cake
appearances on, and articles in The Oprah
www.sba.gov/
baking style eventually evolved through
Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Dateline, Fox News Sunday, GQ (June 2005), Inc Magazine’s 26 Entrepreneurs We Love (March 2005), People, Reader’s Digest, Southern Living, Black Enterprise, The American Lawyer, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance,
ON THE NET
One of his favorite recipes has always been
experimentation with the highest quality ingredients. Brown maxed out his credit card to buy an oven, a double-door refrigerator and other
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Food Network www.foodnetwork.com