RootsTech is busy lining up speakers for their annual conference and have announced another of their Keynote speakers. Buddy Valastro, aka The Cake Boss will be the Keynote speaker on Saturday February 11th. My question is will he be handing out free samples?! That would certainly be a yummy presentation!
Here is the official press release:
The Cake Boss Buddy Valastro Will Keynote, Judge at RootsTech 2017
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, 27 October 2016)--RootsTech,
the largest family history conference in the world, is pleased to
welcome the popular Italian-American celebrity chef, Buddy Valastro,
also known as the hit TLC series, Cake Boss™ as a keynote speaker on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Salt Lake City. Valastro will also judge a local cake decorating contest hosted by RootsTech.
The
amicable Valastro is a Hoboken, New Jersey, resident and owner of
Carlo’s Bakery. He has endeared himself to millions of people as the
animated, passionate chef on the TLC series, The Cake Boss. His
staff’s creative expertise in designing over-the-top cakes for locals
and celebrities is only half the allure. The show’s long-running success
can also be attributed to the fun, dynamic interactions and involvement
of 3–4 generations of Valastro’s Italian-American family who help run
the thriving family business.
“Family is the most important part of my life,” says Valastro. “You
have to embrace and be proud of where you come from. I can't wait to
share my story of how my past, present, and future have shaped who I am
with the audience.”
During his RootsTech 2017 keynote address, the Cake Boss will share
the story of how his strong family ties, roots, and traditions have
shaped his life and business success, which include 12 bakeries,
additional TLC series (The Next Great Baker and Buddy’s Bakery Rescue), and several books, to name a few.
Running bakeries is almost genetic in Buddy’s family. His grandfather
and great-grandfather were both bakers in Sicily, Italy. His father,
Buddy Valastro Sr., ran his own bakery for many years in New Jersey.
When Buddy Valastro Jr. was 11 years old, he began working side by side
with his father at Carlo’s Bakery.
Buddy Sr. died when his son was 17, leaving a very large hole in the
teenager’s life. However, his tutelage had provided Buddy with
“cast-iron business sense” and imbued in him a work ethic and a wealth
of knowledge. He stepped up and took over his father’s role as
proprietor and baker in Carlo’s bakery.
Buddy learned much without his father’s presence in the business but struggled making sfogliatelle dough,
which is used in making Italian shell-shaped filled pastries called
lobster tails, one of the bakery’s specialties. Buddy recalls the night
his father came to him in a dream and told him, “I am here for one
reason, to show you how to make lobster tails.” The next day, for the
first time, Buddy successfully created the seemingly impossible dough
and the very popular lobster tails were back. From then on, he says, he
knew he could do anything he put his mind to and found comfort knowing
that his father was looking after him.
After a few years, Buddy Jr. decided to take cake decorating to a new
level with designer cakes. He created, among other spectacular cakes, a
NASCAR racecar cake weighing over 10,000 pounds. In 2004, he was
invited to participate in the Food Network Challenge where he took top
prize in the fourth battle. He was urged to try a show for himself so he
pitched a show featuring himself with his family. TLC executives were
impressed enough to shoot a pilot episode in the shop which was a hit
with audiences, and Cake Boss was born. The show is now in its eighth season.
Buddy’s extended family is indispensable both to the show and in
running what has now become a chain of bakeries in New Jersey, New York,
Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and some Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The
business has diversified and expanded, but the legacy that began three
generations ago in Sicily lives on. Buddy willingly holds to the
traditions of his father’s bakery.
“Life lessons my parents have taught me define who I am today. I
never forget where I've come from and try to pass that down to my
children today,” says Valastro.
In addition to keynoting at RootsTech 2017, Valastro will help judge the first-ever RootsTech cake decorating competition.
There will be four different categories to compete in—wedding,
birthday, holiday, and graduation—and there will be three finalists and
one grand prize winner selected in each category. Cakes will be on
display Saturday
during RootsTech and Family Discovery Day where thousands of people
will view and have a chance to vote for “People’s Choice” winners in
each category. Official rules and entry information for the contest will
be available soon at RootsTech.org.
This news release can be found here.
See also Five Ingredients That Make Up the Cake Boss
No comments:
Post a Comment