Cake Therapy
Cake Therapy is a heartwarming and uplifting podcast that celebrates the transformative power of baking therapy. Hosted by Dr. Altreisha Foster, the passionate baker, entrepreneur and advocate behind Cake Therapy, this podcast is a delightful blend of inspiring stories, expert insights and practical baking tips. Each episode takes listeners on a journey of self-discovery, emotional healing and connection through the therapeutic art of baking.
Cake Therapy
Stay Curious: How Chiantae Campbell Built Her Cake Empire - Chic Little Cakes
When passion meets purpose, magic happens. Jamaican pastry chef Chiantae Campbell exemplifies this through her remarkable journey from teenage baker to Food Network competitor and founder of Chic Little Cakes. Her story isn't just about beautiful confections—it's about cultural heritage, entrepreneurial wisdom, and finding joy through creating edible dreams.
Growing up in Jamaica profoundly shaped Chiantae's creative approach. "There's just this flair that we have," she explains, describing how her Caribbean roots influence her bold flavor combinations and striking designs. This cultural foundation gave her the confidence to experiment beyond traditional offerings, building a menu that stands out in Florida's competitive market. From custom cakes layered with cookie butter to seasonal fruit creations, her work reflects both technical mastery and cultural authenticity.
The conversation takes a masterclass turn as Chiantae shares three transformative business lessons: delegate what you're not great at, know your worth when pricing, and stay perpetually curious. "We have to understand that the service we provide is worth every penny we say it's worth," she emphasizes, tackling the common struggle many creative entrepreneurs face when valuing their work. Her candid admission about initially doubting her Food Network opportunity resonates with many who struggle to fully embrace recognition despite their talent.
Beyond business strategy, Chiantae offers practical advice for aspiring bakers, detailing essential tools and ingredients that elevate homemade creations. She balances technical guidance with spiritual wisdom, crediting faith as the foundation of her success. Her perspective that "baking gets me out of my head and decorating gets me in my zone" perfectly captures why creating in the kitchen can be deeply therapeutic.
Ready to embrace your creative potential? Subscribe to The Cake Therapy Podcast on YouTube and all major platforms to join our community of passionate bakers and entrepreneurs building their dreams one layer at a time. Your support helps fund our foundation's work empowering women and girls through baking.
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Welcome to the Cake Therapy Podcast a slice of joy and healing, with your host, Dr Altricia Foster. This is a heartwarming and uplifting space that celebrates the transformative power of baking therapy. The conversations will be a delightful blend of inspirational stories, expert insights and practical baking tips. Each episode will take listeners on a journey of self-discovery, emotional healing and connection through the therapeutic art of baking. There's something here for everyone, so lock in and let's get into it.
Speaker 2:Hey guys. So, like me, today's guest will be a Jamaican. We have another Jamaican in the house and I'm excited to talk to her. She is out of Florida, and I love having people with island influence in this space, giving them a seat at the table or even them, you know allowing me to have a conversation with them about the tables that they themselves have curated and having me sit at their table.
Speaker 2:First, though, um, let me say a special welcome to all of our youtube listeners, and especially the ones who have subscribed. Thank you, guys, for subscribing to our YouTube channel. In fact, we actually do love when everyone listening actually takes the time to subscribe, and if you're listening now and you haven't yet subscribed, head on over to our YouTube channel. At the Cake Therapy Podcast, hit the subscribe button, even if that's not where you personally get your podcast. We would love for you to help us to optimize our reach across that platform, because we are slowly building this thing brick by brick, and you know we look forward to you supporting us. So go ahead, comment, subscribe and tag us on the cake every podcast. I'm Irene Early. You are. I was here doing my reading, you are. I was here doing my reading. I'm excited to bring your cake.
Speaker 3:No girl, no girl, it's not over.
Speaker 2:It's not over. No, then, we're extremely excited to have Shantae Campbell, the founder and executive pastry chef of Chic Glitter Cakes, join us. Shantae journey is from a young baking enthusiast. I just found out, you know, that she started baking since she was like 15. And guess what, like I told you, homegirl, she has a Jamaican roots, and that's what I love that we're going to connect and talk about. We're from different sides of the island, but we're still going to talk and have fun. We're already having fun. Notice, our glasses are the same. You know we like extra things. She's extra like me, so she is.
Speaker 2:She attended La Cordon Bleu and she has hands, hands-on experience from Flower Bakery and Cafe in Boston. She is out of Miami Beach right now and she's honed her skills and prepared her for an exciting venture of she Glitter Cake. She established this in 2019. Her bakery is in Aventura and has quickly become known for its custom cakes, delectable desserts and innovative confections. Shantae's creativity and skill caught the attention of the Food Network, leading her to compete on Spring Baking Championship. Okay, say hey, shantae, hey, welcome to our show. Oh, my God, hold on Hold.
Speaker 3:On Hold on Dr Foster. I want to. Can we update that Because my location has changed Since that Blurb? So just to let you know that I'm in Palm Beach now, still Florida, but just up north. I didn't want to interrupt you again.
Speaker 2:No man, shante is out of Palm beach. Okay, she's left aventura, so shantay again. Welcome to the show. I'm really excited to have you and guess what we vibe? I feel you you know already.
Speaker 3:So thanks for coming into the space. I'm so excited. Oh my goodness, I am thrilled to be here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm thrilled to have you. I'm thrilled. So, shante, welcome again to the Cake Therapy Podcast. I'm really excited to have you.
Speaker 3:I'm excited to be here. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Of course, thank you for giving us your time. I find conversations like these, and busy. Busy ladies such as yourself find the time, give us the space to be able to have conversations like these, so the girls that we are trying to impact through my foundation will hear your voice, hear your story and learn something even one thing from it. So tell me how you're doing. You're over there in Florida, talk to us about it. I'm doing great.
Speaker 3:It's like always summertime here, which is amazing. I actually used to be in Boston and yeah, that's just another story. Florida is great. Let's just say Florida is amazing for your mental health. Okay, the weather. It's a lot like Jamaica, where I was raised, so, yeah, it's like a little island.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know Florida is. You say Boston is not like I'm in Minnesota. So you know, yeah, I don't envy you. Yeah, girl, I am in Minnesota. It's still a little warm right now, but it does give us Boston energy. It does not give us Florida energy at all. So you know, my producer and I were working on your long intro. You know which was which you caught me recording at the top of the conversation.
Speaker 3:That I interrupted, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, in our research, though, that we have an idea right of the excellence that you have established over the years, but I would love to find out from you before we actually dive into this conversation is to really take us through your cake journey beyond. You know all of Shante Like who are you and tell me about your cake journey?
Speaker 3:Of course. You know, as you mentioned earlier, I pretty much knew that this is what I wanted to do from a very young age. I wanted to do from a very young age, so I started, initially baking on weekends with my family, you know, my sisters. We just have this thing. That is what we bonded with. You know, as in many Caribbean households, you know, we bond over food. It's just our thing, right? Yeah, it's our thing, for sure, and you know, but interestingly enough, though, up until around eighth slash ninth grade, I was like I'm going to be a neurosurgeon. God, I don't know what I was thinking. I said wait a minute. No, so in high school actually is when I first started my business Back then, it wasn't called she Put Up Eggs and it basically started as an accident.
Speaker 3:So what happened was that one Mother's Day, I made some cupcakes for my mom. I had just gotten this camera, I was really into photography at the time and I, you know, made this whole setup and I took pictures of it, posted it on Instagram. Back then, instagram was fresh. It was like this thing that you know, all of us high schoolers were on and it was like it was just huge into me, because it's like oh, what is this? So I had a classmate who saw it and she commented under it and she was like you know, I want to try this. And you know, in Jamaica we have this thing where it's like you make fun of people when they're always wanting food and always hungry. So I'm like what if this is a long belly girl here, man?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we know it, we know it too. Yeah, we know it, we know it too.
Speaker 3:now, like you just go down, walk with them, like yeah, uh, you can pay for it, sure thing. And she was like I, I will. So that just blew my mind. I thought she was joking. But you know, long story short, it actually did work out like that where I went to school the following week and she was like I'm serious, like I want to place an order, and I ended up making cupcakes for her.
Speaker 3:Back then I was just doing cupcakes oh my gosh, I was terrified of cakes because they were just like so fragile to me, you know. So I was kind of like the cupcake queen and I was making these cupcakes just knocking them out, like on weekends, I would you know bake, and then go back to school to deliver my orders, literally. And I went to an all girls high school so we had, you know, different programs that you know helped us to hone in on those skills. So I would store them in the kitchen at school and just have people collect their orders there. And you know, ever since then I just started that business. It really blossomed them, allowed me to realize, you know, how deeply passionate I was about baking and just making people happy with my creation. You know, it was just a thing that I was good at, you know, and I was like darn, I should make more of this.
Speaker 3:You know, I ended up graduating and going to school in Boston, I went to Le Cordon Bleu. And going to school in Boston, I went to Le Cordon Bleu and while I was there, I was going to college Colton College and I also started my first bake girl job right At the Flower Bakery and Cafe. And that was just an entire experience. When I say that was like the first time that I've ever worked so hard. I was going to school full time, working full time. I was like what is this? This is ghetto.
Speaker 2:Like they would say back home like work, kill ya, then kill ya with work.
Speaker 3:Listen to me, no, like really. And then it's like it was so much baking and I was just on my feet all the time. But you know what? It really helped me to build my skills, build my character and mold me from early on and, mind you, I was still a teenager, you know. So it was just a great experience because I started meeting these people in the industry that they just lit up my mind, like my mind was blown, and I was like, wow, I want to be like this person, like I remember the first, one of the first people actually I said that about. She was the founder of Flower Baker and Cafe. Her name is Joan Chang, big up you and you know she was just this respectable woman who was so experienced and was so capable yes, was so down to earth, and I said I want to be like that, I want to be at Ross like that, because I also had that mentality from early that I'm gonna run my own show right, and I did my time there and, moving along, I moved down to Miami.
Speaker 3:I moved to Miami Beach.
Speaker 3:I was initially born in Florida, so you know I was back and forth, but I was like time to move back down south.
Speaker 3:So I did that and I started working at a resort called the Lewis Miami Beach Hotel and I worked as a pastry cook there. It was a little bit different, but that really enabled me to dive deep within the world of pastry not just bakeries, but like seeing the sides behind everything that I learned in culinary school and really making these explicit pieces, like these large sculptures, just these huge things that people came from all over the country to see, right, and at that time we were like the hub for the South Florida, you know, food and wine fest. So it was just like this huge thing and I learned so much and I really, you know, put in the work there. And then I decided that I was going to go back to school, which I did, and I went to Johnson and Wales University, which I graduated back in 2022. Graduated back in 2022, and I, while there, decided to open Chicco the Cakes in 2019 and it's just been a journey ever since.
Speaker 2:A journey ever since that's, you know, like that's an amazing journey to getting to Chicco the C. But let me ask you this At what age did you move back home in Jamaica, and when? Because you say you were born in Florida. What age did you move to Jamaica? And I need to know which high school you went to, which other school?
Speaker 3:Listen to me. You know what. You know what. Let me start with the school.
Speaker 2:Let me start with the school.
Speaker 3:Let me start with the school because I went to the 20th high school for girls. Okay, I don't Listen, I don't care what anybody has to say, but we were top of the top. Okay, in that time we were top of the top. I'm telling you, I actually was in the. What was it? You know the Star Observer from very early from I did, was it GSAT? Graduated from prep school to go to, as I said, c Montegre High School for real. So you know where I started from.
Speaker 2:Well, I did not have the displeasure of going to an all-girls school the displeasure. So I'm a camping girl, so I wanted to see if you're one of the Sinéad's girls, those immaculate girls. I was like, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3:You know that was on my list list, but that was like five.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sorry for a moment there, right, you actually wanted to become a neurosurgeon me too. Was it because of, like ben carson's book? Or was it just one of those things? Because, like in the islands, they're telling you to become a lawyer, doctor, indian or a chief, right? What is it?
Speaker 3:Let me tell you, I have this aunt who was like little girl, you're going to be a surgeon. You know how Jamaican family members are Caribbean family members on a whole, as you said. You even knocked the nail on the head before I mentioned it and that is just a fact. It's just this mindset that you have of traditional jobs and really pushing the youth to go down that path. But my life had different plans. It really did so.
Speaker 2:That is basically what happened there yeah, because you know, like what was impressive is that you actually leaned into what you felt your purpose was and you found it early. You actually found it at 15. But then I'm asking, you know, because you, I love that, we, I love when I meet Jamaicans and we connect instantly and it's just based on just culture. Anyway, going into the world and you see a Jamaican, we're like okay, bestie, hi, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3:Yeah, instantly Point line period.
Speaker 2:Period and we stand on that. So how does the Jamaican influence really? Your culture, your upbringing impacts your creativity. You tell me how and then I'm going to tell you how I see it in your work. Of course, of course, of course.
Speaker 3:You know, there's just this flair that we have right, there's just this thing where we're bold, first of all, we're extremely creative and, thirdly, we love bright, bold and just loud flavors. And so, ever since I started, I began experience like experimenting, I should say, with a bunch of different things, like I did not want to be in the ordinary category, right, that was never me, that's never going to be me, and that's just, you know what I came from. And so in my baking and in my work, in my, you know, creative process, I would say I hone in a lot on, firstly, flavors. If you take a look at my menu, you will be like, wow, okay, like the most basic flavor I have, I would say, on my menu, and this is not Jamaican based or Caribbean based or anything like that, but even my vanilla cake, right, is layers of vanilla sponge with cookie butter and cookie crumble, filling with a vanilla bean, swiss meringue buttercream, like that's the most basic thing on my menu, right, and I love to use seasonal fruits, even seasonal vegetables, you know, and the spices.
Speaker 3:You know how we are like, yeah, food has to have flavor right and has to, and that has also, you know, enabled me to be separated from a lot of you. You know people in my area where it's like, wow, this looks good but it tastes immaculate. You know what I mean, and so that's just always been something that I've been really into. You know, experimenting with different flavors, trying this and that together. We say, okay, what fruits are in season now? And thankfully I'm in Florida where I just have them at my disposal. You know, show off. Sorry, not sorry. Show off, girl, show off.
Speaker 2:Show off.
Speaker 3:But yeah, so it's that. And then, in terms of you know, actually putting things together, you know, as I said before, we're really bold. You know we're really just people who are magnetic and just really confident about what we do. Like they'll say that you know a Jamaican when you see one, right, it's just instilled in us and so I love to use bold colors. I just love it. It's just my thing. You know, the style is so, that's that you know yeah yeah.
Speaker 3:I would love to know, though, what is your perspective. You said you were going to say that I want to hear when I first saw your page.
Speaker 2:I first ran into your page, like maybe two years ago. I've been following you since then. Execution. The colors for me and the way you style your cakes, I could tell Thank you. You pay your attention to detail, like they're really. They're literally chic.
Speaker 1:They really are.
Speaker 3:I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I see it.
Speaker 3:As with yourself, by the way, as with yourself, thank you, love back for you, love back for you.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm yet to taste your flavors, but I know I was having the other day I was having a conversation with Ron Ben Israel and I was talking to him about my you know, because I'm changing up my flavor palette. So I'm talking about spices and how I'm experimenting and I'm infusing, like different jamaican spices in my cakes just to see a little bit of that liquid you know just doesn't see what the flavors you know flavors I'm getting. So I mean, I love to hear that you definitely are like leaps and bounds ahead of infusing all of these into your menu already and yeah of course you know florida and like you have everything at your fingertips, like it's so tropical I
Speaker 3:I love that, like that, is one of the things I appreciate the most being down here. You know, as you know, I was working in Boston, but it was just different right, and every place has their own signature thing and certain things that people look out for and crave right and down here. It is amazing for me to be able to, you know, take from my culture, because it is really appreciated right, um, in florida, where I am, south florida it's like a pep talk, I would say it's just a mixture of all different types of people from caribbean backgrounds, south america, so it's like they, they all know it and they love it and it's something that they have grown accustomed to, growing up wherever they did, and so I really appreciate that fact of being where I am as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. And what we can also appreciate about these two cultural dynamics is that, like the seasoned girl, like they require food to taste good.
Speaker 1:It's a must.
Speaker 2:So you definitely have to be intentional and just sink your fingers and you put into everything that you're doing. So you go to Le Cordon Bleu. Tell me how. What did Le Cordon Bleu do for Shante in terms of refining your skills? Because, of course, you're bringing this talent right. It's raw. What did Le Cordon Bleu do for you?
Speaker 3:I love that question really because you know, just to backtrack a little bit before, what I was doing was learning from sources like youtube and my family and you know, when I actually went to culinary school, it opened another world for me because I really got to see the actual science behind things. Right, I felt like I was legitimately a food scientist, like a mad scientist. It was just like they allowed me not only to bake and make pretty things but to see what exactly goes on behind all of that, like the uses for each ingredient. What type of reactions do different things have when they're at different temperatures. You know what happens when something hits the oven. You know, like you have different types of ovens, you have different types of stoves, you have different types of ovens, you have different types of stoves, you have different types of so many things.
Speaker 3:And I would also say that for my experience as well, when I just went, it also started off as me being in this like intro to culinary, so it wasn't only just baking. My first semester, I would say so. I got to see firsthand, you know, all of the different cuts for all the vegetables and stuff, like just different types of knife skills. You know it was just a great experience, one that I don't think I would have if I didn't go, and that's not to say that culinary school is necessary, right, but I am so happy that I had the opportunity to go, because it really, just as you said, refined firstly my palate, my skills, and just helped me to fine tune a lot of the things that I wouldn't have been able to if I didn't, you know, take that leap yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Do you think then that helped you to confidently step into becoming chic leather cakes in?
Speaker 3:2019, a thousand percent. A thousand percent because it's like now when things happen. You know, obviously life is a roller coaster and things don't always go as planned, but I can go back and I can think and I can be like, okay, this is where this went wrong, or this is how you can feel this recipe to be even better. And remember, I was talking about you know me experimenting on all of that. I can confidently do that because I know how things react to each other and I know what goes well with what, how to balance things out. And you know, basically, they always say baking is a science, because it is. It's not like cooking, right, where you can just throw things together and it's like, oh yum, right, you make one mistake and you put too much. Let's just say something as simple as baking powder and baking soda, and it's like oh, or forget it.
Speaker 2:I forgot it last week yes, or forget it.
Speaker 3:Yes, or wrap bun instead of sponge cake. Yeah, okay, like, really, it really helped me with all of that and that is something that I took away, and it was just that alone, you know, makes it worth it yeah, makes it all worth it.
Speaker 2:So I keep saying chic little cake. What? How'd you come up with that name? What's the story behind it?
Speaker 3:you know, it's a really simple story, because I was looking at my work and you know, obviously I've been doing it for so long and I was like what's one thing that I see? You know, obviously I've been doing it for so long and I was like what's one thing that I see, you know, in my baked goods, girl, they're chic as heck you know, chic as heck.
Speaker 2:yes, they're chic as heck.
Speaker 3:They're little, they're dainty and they're just like glamorous, yeah. So I was like chic as heck, yeah, chic as heck I love it.
Speaker 2:Chiclet of cakes yeah, chiclet of cakes. It was kind of like a no-brainer. Yeah, yeah, I love it. I love your cakes. I love the movement in your cakes. The composition of your cake is just nice. Sometimes I go, oh, but I go look, so I'm like, okay, let me see how she do this color. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Yes, so now I'm like, okay, let me see, let me look at this, this composition over here, okay, and then we just go back we draw from each other and that's something that you know I appreciate about social media, because it enables you to connect with these people who you wouldn't have known. You know, like from from a painter, from a painter, from a painter, chip on the wall, whatever you know, you get what I'm saying, but it's like and we are able to just instantly draw from these people and these points and I swear it's something that we'll always be grateful for. You know this little, this device, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's like yeah, I know. Do you remember, though, when we thought that we would never like maybe? There was a time when I thought that we would not? It was like decades before we would actually have a handheld phone with even Instagram or music or that kind of stuff. So we've gone leaps and bounds and it really has transformed how we've done business. You know it's our marketing tool.
Speaker 3:Yep, and you know, I grew up in Jamaica, so obviously we are a little bit behind. So we're like I was recording songs on my from the radio to have as my ringtone. What do you mean? What do you mean? What's in your Instagram? So you remember how I was saying like when I posted it was just like, it was just huge thing because we were new to all of it, right Back when I just started the first business that I had in high school and it's just like wow. So to see where it has come, it's mind blowing and it's just amazing. So I am really excited to see where it goes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely where it goes. So the girls in my foundation, I'm actually teaching them to bake, but not only just to bake, but just to understand. You know the business side as well, but just owning what their passion and purpose is in the kitchen. I have like this question for you Tell them, because they're listening, what are some of the essential tools or ingredients that you consider like must-haves when creating high quality cakes?
Speaker 3:Okay. So you said tools or ingredients, which one? I can give you both. Okay, of course. So, firstly, I would like to preface this by saying that tools or ingredients, which one? Because I can give you both. Okay, of course. Yeah. So, firstly, I would like to preface this by saying that you don't need to have all of this high-end machinery and all of these you know expensive things to really make a cake or whatever you're doing, you know shine.
Speaker 3:Uh, I would say a few essential tools right off the bat. Uh, I can't go a day without my first with spatulas, offset spatulas and rubber scrapers. The most essential, I would say having a great metal take home is the way to go. So that's three. A turntable it doesn't matter if it's one of those expensive ones, or you can start you know wherever your pockets can start. If it's the Wilton one, I started with that when I just started so many years ago, like in high school, that's what I was using it. It did its thing right. So that's four.
Speaker 3:And the last one I'm gonna say is having a nice set of mixing bowls, so from small to large, so you can also use this to scale your ingredients and mix things in, right. Uh, the list can really go on. However, those are like essential. I know, you know what. Let me add one more a whisk, a whisk, a whisk. Uh, so if you want to do something by hand, hey, there are many like chocolate cake recipes and stuff that you can literally make with your hands. You don't need a stand mixer, a hand mixer, anything like that. So, yeah, and then as far as ingredients, whoo, I'm very picky with this, very, very picky with this. So maybe this heat kind I have to spend money, yeah, let me start with butter.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I personally use challenge butter. It, to me, is one of the best things since sliced bread. I have tried so many different types. Yeah, and it's just like the percentage of fat content to you know, water content and all of that. It's perfect for what I do, right? Yeah, and the flavor is wonderful. Then you have things such as your mix-ins, spices and all of that. I would say you can never go wrong with a good quality vanilla. Personally, I use vanilla bean paste by Vanilla Bean Kings and Chef's Gift. It's incredible. It's a little bit pricey, but I'm telling you it is just amazing.
Speaker 3:And another essential ingredient for me is cake flour. I would say there are a lot of recipes, you know, if you're not at the stage of recipe development yet that may call for, you know, all-purpose flour, but cake flour really makes a difference. Um, especially with lighter cakes, butter based cakes, it really just allows the texture to melt in your mouth, right, it is very tender and light. Uh. And the final ingredient I would say that is an essential for me and that can go a long way for them is love.
Speaker 2:Yeah, love.
Speaker 3:A lot of love. It has to be in everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as I'm listening to you or even watching you, you know talk about these tools and the essential ingredients. I'm remembering, like this, one thing you've said about chic little cakes being edible dreams. You remember that quote? Yeah, you talk about chic little cakes being edible dreams and it connected with me in this mission that I'm on, you know, with these women and girls, and you know talking about my passion of making cake, making good cakes, but even using this space of baking to uplift them right To helping them find themselves. I find personal joy in the kitchen and with my cakes. Do you find personally, you know, find baking therapeutic for you? Because I'm listening to you just going through and to me it's joy. Am I get? Am I getting it?
Speaker 3:yes, absolutely. So I would say baking gets me out of my head and decorating gets me in my zone. I'm gonna repeat that baking gets me out my zone. I'm going to repeat that Baking gets me out of my head and decorating gets me in my zone. And these two are so different but so similar, and it is just like my happy place.
Speaker 3:And what I love more or what I should say is what I love the most about this is that it's not just about what I can offer myself. It's about what the end product is going to be in order to make whoever is on the receiving side of this cake the happiest person ever. That is what brings me the most joy. That is why I continue doing what I do, like regardless of what happens, like sometimes, I kid you not, I want to throw cakes on the other side of the room, but I'm like, how am I gonna make this person happy?
Speaker 3:Yes, cake isn't caking. I have to make it cake because someone needs to receive this, someone is looking forward to this and, quite literally, you never know how much your gift and your talent can make someone else happy, and that is something that is huge for me. You know know, making other people happy with the talent that God has given me. Yeah, it's like my, what I do to give back to the world. Right, whether paid or unpaid, you know, it's just something that I deeply enjoy doing making others happy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know whether paid or unpaid. So this is like fitting, as I'm thinking of changing gears a little bit. You know you've talked about Shantae the gift, so let's talk about the paid Shantae, right? The entrepreneur, the founder and executive pastry chef of Chic Litter Cakes, Tell me how do you manage the balance between your creativity and the operational demands of running a bakery?
Speaker 3:Of course I love that. A bakery, of course I love that. I love that question because it's kind of multi-dimensionally faceted, whereas, you know, we were talking about how I went to culinary school, but I also went to school for hospitality, and so this also enables me to really see both sides of the spectrum, and this is something that I always wanted to do. You know, to be knowledgeable in the different areas so that I can bring forth, you know, the best of me and to ensure that everyone is satisfied.
Speaker 3:So how I find balance is, firstly, knowing that I'm organized in everything that I do. And you know, as entrepreneurs as one woman shows we often get really stuck in our way sometimes when doing things, but I have made it my mission to learn as much as I can, and you know, doing different courses. On top of you know, the universal information that I've like gained, you know, over the years, like you know, going to college, going to university, all of that. I would say that one of the key things that I learned is to delegate, and I have been using this to my disposal. Yeah, I guess I'm a one-win show sometimes, but I have people who do different things for me and that is the way that I balance my creativity with my entrepreneurial roles, because there is no way for you to be everywhere all at one time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, say it again.
Speaker 3:I am definitely going to repeat it. There is no way for you to be everywhere all at one time. You can't be everyone for everybody, you know. You have to really sit down and think about it and be like okay, I know that I'm great. Yes, let's say baking and decorating.
Speaker 3:I'm not so good at making a website. I'm not going to sit here and take a year to finish a website when I can get somebody, a freelancer or something, to help me with that. I'm not going to sit here and take 10 years to edit the thousands of pictures that I have to put up on my platform when that energy could go into me baking and making people happy. I'm not going to sit here and do math with a calculator when I have platforms that allow me to put everything in so that I can be on the top of my game. I can have everything in order and everything at my fingertips, and so that is how I find my balance by giving things to other people or other sources that will do a way better job than me overextending myself to do this, that and the third. It's just not worth it for me, and that is something that has helped me over the course of the years you know over my journey and it is something that I'll always do, you know. Yeah and yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, no, no, no. That's a good, that's a good point, like delegating is key, because that brought me to what I was going to ask. I wanted to find out from you what were the three lessons that you actually learned, that you've actually learned since starting SheClearTheCakes. One of them is delegation. Tell me the other two, of course.
Speaker 3:The other two, I would say. The second one is, knowing your worth, I'm going to likely have bet on your fears right now. I love it.
Speaker 2:I bet on my fears because it doesn't really matter. I know, I know.
Speaker 3:I saw it. I saw it, I saw the connection. It was like, yes, and you know, when I just started, I believe most people you just charge what you feel safe. You charge and go to the supermarket and you're like, oh, they have a cake for $20. I'm going to sell a cake for $20.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you feel bad, I feel like what am I doing?
Speaker 3:Yeah, your price just hurt your feelings Like I rubbed my, rub the people there for the fuck out of here.
Speaker 3:Exactly, yes, no, legitimately. What people there? Exactly? Yes, no, legitimately. What is this? Did you? But you know I had to learn that what we do is a luxury, whether we like to consider ourselves a luxury brand or not. Yeah, you know, different people have different mindsets on that. Yeah, regardless, you don't need a custom cake, you don't need custom cookies, honey, you don't need custom cupcakes. You can go to Walmart, you can go to Sam's Club, you can go here in the South, publix has some good cake. Okay, so it's like what we do is next level and we have to understand that the service that we provide, the goods that we provide, are worth every penny that we say it's worth.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And you know everyone has their own thought of this. But what you have to do is to really evaluate and say, aside from my ingredients, aside from my overhead expenses, aside from all of that, what am I worth? How many years have I put into this? How many hours, how many days, how many weeks, how many months have I spent learning?
Speaker 3:you know what I need to do to really perfect my craft yeah and you just like take all of these things into consideration and you use that to say okay, why am I paying myself five dollars an hour? What? What is that? That's like the minimum wage, like every state. So how could you really go and charge $40 for a cake? What are you doing? Because the ingredients are probably $30.
Speaker 2:I know, I know, like yesterday I was on threads and I saw someone posted in a derogatory way where can I find a vegan cake that's not $80? And I was like everybody started to snatch. They snatched her on threads and we're like what?
Speaker 3:No, let's not even get into the allergy-friendly baking, because that's just on another level. What do you mean? $80 just for the vegan butter?
Speaker 2:She said $80. She's like she wants to know where she can get a vegan cake that's not $80. Baby, in your kitchen you have to bake that yourself $80. Someone charged her $80 and she's complaining. I was like nah. That was back then. That threw me yeah.
Speaker 1:They definitely snatched her.
Speaker 3:Paying $80 for a vegan cake is a steal. It is that's wild. Yeah, it is. It's so crazy that's wild.
Speaker 2:It's wild, it's wild. Yeah, in this field, you definitely have to know your worth and stand on business for sure, for sure.
Speaker 3:You know we could talk about that forever, but the next lesson, the final lesson, I would say so we have delegation, knowing your worth. The next lesson is to always be learning Now, as people, we can get comfortable. Sometimes, you know, we can really get in our heads and say, oh, I don't know, I know how to do this. This is how I'm always going to do this. I've had this vanilla cake recipe since the devil was a boy. I'm going to keep it because everybody loves it. Girl, no, what do you mean? Huh, and this also comes from. I love that. I love that. Stay curious.
Speaker 3:In a nutshell, you can just put it out there Stay curious, stay curious, yeah, yeah, in a nutshell, you can just put it out there stay curious yeah stay curious. Yeah, yeah, yeah first of all you finished it for me.
Speaker 2:She said you have to delegate. Of course. She said delegate, know your worth and stay curious. Yes, I'm always curious, and guess what? I'm curious about what? The first time girl? What tell me?
Speaker 3:you know, I'm curious about what the first time Girl what? Tell me?
Speaker 2:You know, the first time I got my little nod right, when Warner Brothers emailed me and said they wanted a cake for the Bachelorette. I wanted to find out from you what did it feel like when you got your first tap and said girl, come on to the Spring, tell me about that experience.
Speaker 3:I just got goosebumps. To be honest, yes, my blood just ran. Cool, just again it was. I thought it was a prank. I thought somebody was playing with me because I was like what the?
Speaker 3:hell is this you know? Legitimately? Legitimately, yeah, mind you. This I don't remember, gosh, what year I got the email, because we got the email like way before production, yeah, and it was just like hi, you know, I'm so-and-so from so-and-so casting company and it's like we saw your work and we really like it and we'd like to get to know you more, like we'd love to have an interview with you to talk about you know, your journey and all you know that goes into doing what you do. And I'm like who this?
Speaker 3:No, legitimately, that was my reaction because, mind you, I was a lot younger than two yeah, absolutely and I was like, um, I don't know, but let me respond, because it doesn't have any links, I'm not clicking on anything. Yeah, um, so I'm not scanning no qr code, qr code. So I did. You know, we hopped on a call. I did some research on the company, the casting company. I was like, ooh, this is legit.
Speaker 2:The real yes.
Speaker 3:But you know the crazy thing, dr Flosso, the crazy thing. I never believed it until I was on that plane to Cali. I went through the whole thing I did, interview after interview. We had different passing calls it was. It did not feel a hundred percent real until I got on that plane yeah, but you know what, though?
Speaker 2:um, I get it. I get it because, like, I just went through one of those this summer. Of course I didn't make well, I didn't make it to the end, you know, to be on the show, but I understand. I understand the feeling of just not being sure Is this real, is it a prank? And even though you get tapped, you know, for these types of things, you still don't believe that these things are actually happening.
Speaker 3:And I don't like that for us, you know, because we're good as you know, yes, we're real good. Exactly. I need us collectively, as women in this business, to really be more confident about ourselves. I know we're confident, but like, when these things happen, just be like this is really happening. No, we're not going to do that. We're going to be like, yes, this is happening.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like what's the point of so long?
Speaker 3:Right, right, right. I am hella good. I've been doing this, I've been kicking this thing's butt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, doors down Shante Listen.
Speaker 3:I'm not new to this. I'm true to this. Yes, they're reaching out to me.
Speaker 1:I need us to do that?
Speaker 2:Do you hear that?
Speaker 3:listeners Like I need us to do that, because this is just I know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, step into that light. Step into that light. That is so true, man, because, like this summer, when I got that call and I started doing those videos and that casting, and I'm like, oh my God, like is it me? Even though I've done the cake for the Bachelor, I've done so many other other things, but I'm still like in awe that you're still talking to me, you know so, yeah, it might be that it might be that humility that we all need to have, but no, yeah, it kind of needs to like fix up guys.
Speaker 3:what that means is that we need to just do better in the chat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's code switch guys. We need to just overall do better, let's do better. You know, how do you like that On?
Speaker 3:Let's do better at the chat.
Speaker 2:Guys, I'm sorry that we're laughing so much in this episode, but we just click, you know? Yeah, we have to do better. How about that? Let's do better about you know, receiving these things and believing that we can. How about that?
Speaker 3:Yes, Gratefully taking in these opportunities as they come.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes. Tell me what's the biggest lesson you learned from being on that show.
Speaker 3:That I can do anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And what's crazy is that you know I'm a big, big, big believer in Christ and you know his word says it Girl fling with the computer, fling with the phone, because no, this is true. Tap in, yeah. Luke 137 says do not limit God. And I feel like I'm going to get emotional right now because it is so true. Like putting your faith in girl don't. Right now you look like you're getting emotional. I'm going to bust you. Maybe you bust Guys, we're getting emotional. But like, do not limit God, because God is the end of the beginning, he is the truth and the life and if you put him in everything that you do, you will never go wrong. You can never go wrong.
Speaker 3:I don't want to sound like a preacher right now. I know there are some people who probably don't believe, but this part of the message is just for the believers. You can never, never be led astray. If you give God your faith, if you give him your time, if you put it all at his feet, as he has told you to time and time again, you can do anything. You set your mind to Anything. He's told us that you set your mind to Anything. He's told us that. He's told us to test him, to show people that he is God and he's capable of it, all, it all.
Speaker 2:He's awesome. He's that one anchor that still holds. He's the anchor that holds. He's the anchor that holds. He's the anchor that holds. I don't want us to cry. When I get up for this. I'm going to be falling. Yeah, he's the anchor that holds, and we know why. We know why, before we go, what's next for you?
Speaker 3:what's next for champagne? What's next for shukuro cakes is that I'm going to continue to make people happy with my creation, and you know I have some stuff in the work regarding allowing other people to learn. You know more from me and from all of my experiences. You know both in the kitchen and out. Yeah, so you will be hearing and seeing a lot more of me, but I just want to end this by saying thank you. Uh, it is a blessing to be able to reach people and to just have a down-to-earth conversation about. You know life on a whole, yeah, your passions, you know your background. Just sharing so that others can be inspired, absolutely Absolutely, because that's what we're here for to inspire each other, to brighten each other's light, like we are here for each other. Even if we're in the same city, we're serving the same people. It don't matter. I'll recommend other bakers, because it's nobody's business. We can't have it done work.
Speaker 2:No, we can't have it done. Work's business. We can't don't work. No, we simply just can't keep it to ourselves either. No, it has to be. We have to share. Sharing is really caring, it is.
Speaker 3:And that makes the blessings unleash even harder. I've seen it from myself Even harder?
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course, yep, trust me, like my world, my life, my world is a testimony, it's a testament. I'm not sure if you have a copy of my book. It's cake therapy, um, for making change my life. But but I talk about all the blessings that continue to overflow in my life because of everything that I've done, you know, and the gifts that have been bestowed on to me because of everything I I've done, you know, and the gifts that have been bestowed on me because of everything I've done, and I really, truly believe it. I believe in sowing into lives, I believe in creating spaces and tables where we can all flourish, thrive and have conversations. And I am really believe me when I say this I'm so proud of you, I'm happy that you decided to join me today.
Speaker 2:But I'm such a proud Jamaican we're both proud Jamaicans. We're proud artists, big up, we Like hello, big up myself. I'm proud of you. I'm proud that I'm holding this space with you right now. I'm happy about our connection. We're going to talk about this after, but most of all, I want to remind the girls and the listeners who heard you, heard you today, that you can't do it all. You can't do it by yourself, you have to delegate, you have to delegate, you have to give yourself grace and you have to stay curious. Stay curious, right? Did I miss? Did I miss?
Speaker 3:Delegate Stay curious, so we also have knowing your worth.
Speaker 2:And knowing your worth, knowing your worth, this has been like your slice of joy and healing. It's been mine. This has been an entire cake. It's not just one tear. It's been mine. This has been an entire cake. It's not just one tier, it's like three, four, five different tiers. We talk about Shante the gift, we talk about the entrepreneur and we talk about the TV star.
Speaker 3:Thank, you so?
Speaker 2:much for joining us, Shante.
Speaker 3:Thank you, thank you, oh my gosh it's so amazing. Oh my gosh, this so amazing to. Oh my god, this has been a blessing.
Speaker 2:This has definitely been. Yeah, it was, aren't you walking? You're walking for me under my introduction, like I'm too early. What?
Speaker 3:was that. I'm sorry for being early, but I was, you're curious. I was too curious to see what was to see. What was to see what was going to happen.
Speaker 2:We are staying we are staying curious, which is good, which is good, you know. Continue to listen to us. Follow us on TikTok. Stephanie is going to kill me if I don't continue to mention YouTube. Follow us there, you know leave your comments. Come on until next time. This has been the Cake Therapy Podcast. I'm Antresha and I'm your host. Thank you so much for your time. Today's mindful moment that the kitchen is a place of creation Embrace each step, each stir, as an act of self-expression.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning in to the Cake Therapy Podcast. Your support means the world to us. Let us know what you thought about today's episode in the comment section. Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast and if you found the conversation helpful, please share it with a friend. Also, follow Sugar Spoon Desserts on all social media platforms. We invite you to support Cake Therapy and the work we do with our foundation by clicking on the buy me a coffee link in the description or by visiting the Cake Therapy website and making a donation. All your support will go towards the Cake Therapy Foundation and the work we are doing to help women and girls. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next episode.