What It’s Like to Be a Pastry Chef During Wedding Season

NYC-primarily based pastry chef and teacher Daniel Colonel specializes in bespoke cakes and luxury cookies, so you can imagine how chaotic wedding ceremony time is for him. Given that graduating from The Culinary Institute of The usa in 2014, Colonel has worked for numerous cake designers in the city whilst functioning on his have creations as a “facet hustle.” Then, months ago, he remaining his 9-to-5 occupation to devote whole focus to his eponymous model and has due to the fact hosted far more than 25 tastings. Regardless of whether they have bundled marriage planners and shoppers, pals as test topics, or drop-offs (where by he provides his signature flavors organized in a personalized box), they have allowed him to network and dedicate to wedding ceremony gigs this coming fall and perfectly into 2025.

One particular of Colonel’s most sentimental cake flavors by the years has been his London Fog, an Earl Grey sponge cake with lemon curd and lavender buttercream that is both equally distinctive and divine. “Besides New York, London is my beloved metropolis,” he tells PS. “Each time I have ‘high tea,’ I truly feel like the most posh man or woman, and it genuinely bought me into tea (in particular Earl Gray). I tend to gravitate to floral and savory flavors when it arrives to desserts . . . I consider the flavors are a delicious shock — not extremely sweet, and refreshing.” It is this kind of authentic inspiration that will make Colonel’s cakes so special, and thereby best for any few about to tie the knot.

Ahead, he walks PS via his typical marriage ceremony year agenda and describes what it’s like to be a pastry chef through these types of a hectic time.

PS: What does a standard wedding day cake tasting appear like for you?
Daniel Colonel: I constantly like to start with a connect with or Zoom to get a perception of the couple’s enjoy story and flavor choices. I inquire them their most loved journey tales, recollections, desserts they enjoy — anything at all truly. The cake is a tale of the couple, and I am below to help explain to it. I also stray couples away from picking out “vanilla-vanilla” simply because they experience like they have to.

Then, for the duration of the genuine tasting, the pair will commonly style 4 flavors. This is the pleasurable part. I get to know the couple much more and they get to enjoy cake. We chat about their appreciate story, style and design, and they with any luck , come to a decision on a taste.

PS: Are you noticing any wedding ceremony cake tendencies for 2024 that come to feel significantly brand-new or fascinating?
DC: Which is a challenging problem. Related to vogue, cakes go by tendencies as well. Something that came again a few decades in the past is the “lambeth/classic piped” cake, which I seriously enjoy accomplishing. I come to feel like I am looking at a whole lot of different buttercream textured cakes, and couples are far more adventurous with flavors.

Daniel’s “Gay Gatsby” square cake for a wedding ceremony at The Plaza Hotel.

PS: What are some of the most unforgettable wedding day cakes you’ve got developed and why are they favorites?
DC: If I experienced to select three: 1). The inexperienced cake with copper and sugar bouquets because I just cherished the colour palette. Not each marriage cake has to be white, and this cake was best for an autumn wedding. The jewel tones, unique types of sugar bouquets, copper accent, and the taste. The cake was a brown butter spice cake with salted caramel buttercream and spiced apple compote.

2). The uncovered brick cake. When you operate for some others, it is tough to differentiate and established oneself aside, but this cake felt quite “me.” The exposed brick texture and sugar flower arrangement felt quite whimsical, and the few was overjoyed (as was I).

3). The square cake. I ordinarily count on sugar flowers to make fanciful cakes. I in no way want to copy an additional type, and since the couple didn’t want flowers, textured fondant, or buttercream, this cake was a obstacle for me. The wedding day was at The Plaza, which is a incredibly exclusive venue for me. When I was an intern back again in 2011 at RBI Cakes, the cake supply I assisted on was at The Plaza, and I hoped that someday I would be back again with a marriage ceremony cake that I created. This architectural cake of distinct lines, bold colours, and gold accents seriously fit the “Homosexual Gatsby” concept of the marriage. To top it all off, and to my surprise, this cake was also posted in the Financial Instances!

PS: What makes your marriage cakes stand out from other individuals in the enterprise?
DC: The cake is just one of the first matters I detect when I stroll into a wedding. It’s also the previous factor individuals enjoy before they go away, so it ought to be unforgettable and incredible. The cake ought to explain to a tale about the pair. Dessert has this magical means to unlock reminiscences and build new ordeals. I want to make guaranteed the wedding day cake encapsulates the essence of the couple. I do have a menu of appealing flavors, but can also make custom flavors — all of which are common, nonetheless elevated.

Every thing I make is from scratch and incorporates higher quality ingredients. When it arrives to structure, I like to collaborate with the pair. Of course, every cake is going to have my personal design and style on it, but I consider every single couple is heading to have a very private knowledge from the initial email to the previous chunk. Every cake I make, my whole coronary heart and soul goes into it.

PS: You are also a pastry chef. Have you made any pastries, alternative to a cake, for a wedding that stray off the crushed path?
DC: During June, I adore producing Pleasure-themed desserts. I created these “Pleasure Cones,” and there was a pair that wished them for a wedding day as favors. I exhibited them all in a row to create a rainbow on the desk, which was genuinely entertaining. I also enjoy producing my luxurious cookies. Screening unique flavors and looking at the joy it delivers people when they bite into them provides me so a lot joy. I have taken a split from them, but will return with new flavors quickly.

Daniel’s exposed brick cake and inexperienced cake with copper.

PS: Occur wedding ceremony season, how do you equilibrium your time as a pastry chef when you have orders you want to fill on top rated of tastings and cakes to make?
DC: When you have a company, you wear a good deal of hats. As a inventive person, sometimes it is challenging to continue to keep myself arranged. I am constantly imagining about diverse flavor profiles, factors to bake, techniques to industry . . . and I also teach baking and pastry section time as an adjunct instructor. I will say, I could not do what I do with out the assist from my relatives and pals. My sister helps me with my calendar and communications and my brother can help with my quickbooks and taxes. I am employed to arranging for the recent 7 days, but now that I am retaining chaotic, I need to have to system further out and discipline myself to keep on observe.

PS: What has been your biggest studying because starting off the wedding day cake part of your company?
DC: Tolerance, but that is with any company. Some months can be busier than others. Immediately after you are busy with jobs, it is really significant to get some time to chill out. Getting successful with your time whilst it can be sluggish is also just as essential. Making use of that time to provide in much more business enterprise and pushing through is a problem, but rewarding.

PS: What would a person be most shocked to learn about the marriage ceremony cake marketplace?
DC: I undoubtedly consider it truly is the amount of time and revenue that go into producing a cake. Prior to I start baking, there is a great deal of time invested emailing, talking on the cell phone, sketching, and tasting. All of the preparing is so important however. I want to make positive just about every pair are satisfied with their cake and get a very private and specific knowledge all over the system.

Sarah Wasilak is the affiliate director of commerce at PS. With plenty of practical experience in the buying marketplace, a keen fascination in Web optimization, and 10 a long time as an editor at the model, she enjoys composing throughout the lifestyle and wellness-and-physical fitness categories. She has bylines at PS, InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Use, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The High quality Edit and aims to amplify minority voices in all her do the job.