Duff Goldman

{{short description|American chef}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox chef | image = Duff goldman.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Jeffrey Adam Goldman | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|12|17}} | birth_place = [[Detroit]], Michigan, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Johnna Colbry|2019}} | children = 2 | style = | education = [[University of Maryland, Baltimore County]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]])<br />[[The Culinary Institute of America]] | ratings =  | restaurants = Charm City Cakes ([[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]]) | prevents =  | television = {{plainlist| * ''[[Buddy vs. Duff]]'' * ''[[Ace of Cakes]]'' * ''[[Donut Showdown]]'' * ''Duff Till Dawn'' * ''[[Holiday Baking Championship]]'' * ''[[Kids Baking Championship]]'' * ''[[Spring Baking Championship]]'' * ''Summer Baking Championship'' * ''Sugar Showdown'' * ''[[Worst Bakers in America]]'' * ''Ace of Taste'' * ''[[Guy's Grocery Games]]'' * ''[[Super Mega Cakes]] '' }} | awards =  | website = }}

'''Jeffrey Adam''' "'''Duff'''" '''Goldman'''<ref name="The Food Network" /> (born December 17, 1974) is an American businessman, pastry chef, television personality, and writer. He is the executive chef of [[Baltimore]]’s Charm City Cakes shop, which was featured in the [[Food Network]] reality television show ''[[Ace of Cakes]]'', and [[Los Angeles]]’s Charm City Cakes West, which was featured in Food Network's ''Duff Till Dawn'' and "Cake Masters" series.<ref name="BaltBizJourn">Julekha Dash. "[http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2004/05/24/smallb1.html Audacity brings chef sweet success]", ''Baltimore Business Journal''. Accessed January 20, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2007.</ref> His work has also been featured on the ''[[Food Network Challenge]]'', ''[[Iron Chef America]]'', ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'', ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', ''[[Man v. Food]]'', ''Buddy vs. Duff'', ''Duff Takes the Cake'', and ''[[Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time]]''.

==Early life== Goldman was born in [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], to a [[Jewish]] family. Goldman's nickname Duff came about when he was a baby.<ref>[http://www.eatnlisten.com/2010/06/17/raisingduffgoldman-jackiewinch/ "‘Raising Duff Goldman, A Mother’s Perspective by Jacqueline Winch"] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100809232743/http://www.eatnlisten.com/2010/06/17/raisingduffgoldman-jackiewinch/ |date= August 9, 2010 }} Retrieved August 3, 2010.</ref> His toddler brother, Willie Goldman, was unable to pronounce Jeffrey and kept saying Duffy.<ref name="The Food Network">[http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-duff/index.html "710 Things You Didn't Know About... Duff "] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819013616/http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-duff/index.html |date=August 19, 2010 }}, ''[[The Food Network]]'' Retrieved on August 3, 2010.</ref> When he was four years old, his mother caught him in her kitchen wielding a [[cleaver (knife)|meat cleaver]] and watching food personality [[Chef Tell]].<ref name="CharmCityCakes">{{cite web | url= http://www.charmcitycakes.com/noflash/index.cfm?rd=aboutduff | title=About Duff the Baker |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070123132611/http://www.charmcitycakes.com/noflash/index.cfm?rd=aboutduff |archivedate=January 23, 2007 | website= CharmCityCakes.com| publisher= |accessdate= January 20, 2007}}</ref>

After his parents divorced when he was ten, Goldman lived in [[Northern Virginia]] and in [[Sandwich, Massachusetts]], on [[Cape Cod, Massachusetts|Cape Cod]].<ref>Food Network, ''Best Thing I Ever Ate'', "Hometown Favorites", January 8, 2010.</ref> From age fourteen, he began to work in kitchens; his first job was at a bagel store at a mall.<ref>Food Network's ''Chefology'' teaser, August 9, 2009</ref> Goldman also worked as a fry cook at [[McDonald's]].

In 1992, Goldman attended [[McLean High School]] in [[McLean, Virginia]] where he played on the Highlanders ice hockey team. In 1993, he graduated from [[Sandwich High School]].<ref name="The Food Network" /><ref>Goldfarb, Bruce. [http://welcometobaltimorehon.com/the-sweet-life-of-duff-goldman "The Sweet Life of Duff Goldman"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130153848/http://welcometobaltimorehon.com/the-sweet-life-of-duff-goldman |date=November 30, 2010 }}, ''Welcome To Baltimore Hon'', September 14, 2009. Retrieved on August 3, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.trifind.com/re_10089/TheCapeRelay.html | title= The Cape Relay | website= trifind.com |date= | accessdate= August 3, 2010}}</ref>

== Education == Goldman attended the [[University of Maryland, Baltimore County]] (UMBC). He has said that when he was a sophomore in college, he went to the restaurant Charleston, which he considered the finest restaurant in Baltimore. Aspiring to be a cook there, he applied. The head [[chef]], Cindy Wolf, looked at his résumé and noted that it consisted of irrelevant experience. However, Cindy did offer him a job to make [[cornbread]] and [[biscuit]]s only, and this is what Goldman cites as the turning point in his career.<ref name="MSNBC-Newsweek">{{cite web | first= Julie | last= Scelfo | url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16696656/site/newsweek/ | title= Bake It Like a Man | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070121171242/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16696656/site/newsweek/ |archivedate= January 21, 2007 | website= MSNBC Newsweek |accessdate= January 20, 2007}}</ref> Goldman earned a bachelor's degree in East Asian History with a minor in Ethics from UMBC.

Thereafter, Goldman attended [[Corcoran College of Art and Design|Corcoran College of Art]] and the [[Culinary Institute of America at Greystone]] in [[Napa Valley, California]].<ref name="The Food Network" />

==Professional career== Goldman worked under acclaimed chefs in California, including a [[Stage (cooking)|stagiaire]] position at the [[French Laundry]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Food & Wine Festival Palm Desert 2011 Participating Chefs |url=http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/Shop-El-paseo/February-2011/Food-amp-Wine-Festival-Palm-Desert-2011-Participating-Chefs/index.php/name/The-Upper-Crust/listing/24508/ |website=Palm Springs Life |publisher=Desert Publications, Inc. |access-date= September 1, 2014}}</ref> and as executive pastry chef of the Vail Cascade Hotel in [[Colorado]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Chef Duff Goldman on Business Rockstars |url=http://kfwbam.com/2013/05/30/chef-duff-goldman-on-business-rockstars/ |website=kfwbam.com |publisher=Radio KFWB 980 |access-date=September 1, 2014 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903100317/http://kfwbam.com/2013/05/30/chef-duff-goldman-on-business-rockstars/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> he returned to [[Washington, D.C.]], to work at Todd English's restaurant, Olives,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Valdespino |first1=Anne |title=For celebrity pastry chef Duff Goldman, life is a piece of cake |url=http://www.losangelesregister.com/articles/cake-600061-cakes-make.html |website=losangelesregister.com |publisher=Los Angeles Register |access-date=September 1, 2014 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903145750/http://www.losangelesregister.com/articles/cake-600061-cakes-make.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> baking bread.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gluck |first1=Robert |title='Food Network' personality embraces tzedakah, grows his brand |url=http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2012/11/26/food-network-personality-embraces-tzedakah-grows-his-brand.html#.VARGiedhw7o |website=JNS.org |publisher= |access-date=September 1, 2014 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903081923/http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2012/11/26/food-network-personality-embraces-tzedakah-grows-his-brand.html#.VARGiedhw7o |url-status=dead }}</ref>[[Image:Charm City Cakes.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Charm City Cakes]] In 2002, Goldman made forays into the food industry when he started his own business by opening his own bakery called Charm City Cakes. Initially, his cake sales began as he worked out of his house in [[Charles Village, Baltimore|Charles Village]] in [[Baltimore, Maryland]], with the help of two assistants he employed.<ref name="BaltBizJourn"/> As demand grew, he hired more employees, hiring painters, architects, and sculptors to work on the development and expansion of his bakery.<ref>{{cite web |title=Duff Goldman |url=https://lacookieconvention.com/duff-goldman/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925230305/https://lacookieconvention.com/duff-goldman/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |website=lacookieconvention.com}}</ref> Charm City Cakes frequently uses [[cutting torch|blow torches]], as well as power tools such as grinders and drills to help create the underlying supports of cakes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCauley |first1=Mary Carole |title=Charm City Baker Set To Show Off His Range |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2010-01-31-1001290096-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=January 31, 2010}}</ref>

Goldman has made cakes for former President [[Barack Obama]] during his [[Second inauguration of Barack Obama|second inaugural ball]] in 2013,<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKeever |first1=Amy |title=Behold Duff Goldman's Star-Spangled Inaugural Cake |url=https://www.eater.com/2013/1/22/6492171/behold-duff-goldmans-star-spangled-inaugural-cake?_r=0 |website=eater.com |access-date=September 1, 2014 |date=January 22, 2013}}</ref> novelist [[Tom Clancy]], the cast of [[Lost (2004 TV series)|''Lost'']], the ''[[30 Rock]]'' cast (along with a cake prop), actor [[Roger Moore (actor)|Sir Roger Moore]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fancast.com/tv/Ace-of-Cakes/95532/1022731229/The-Spy-Who-Caked-Me/videos |title=Watch "The Spy Who Caked Me": ''Ace of Cakes'' Full Length Episodes Online |access-date=August 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325014432/http://www.fancast.com/tv/Ace-of-Cakes/95532/1022731229/The-Spy-Who-Caked-Me/videos |archive-date=March 25, 2009}}</ref> and for pop singer [[Katy Perry]]'s "[[Birthday (Katy Perry song)#Music video|Birthday]]" video.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scharper |first1=Julie |title=Duff Goldman bakes the cakes for Katy Perry's 'Birthday' video |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2014/04/16/duff-goldman-bakes-the-cakes-for-katy-perrys-birthday-video/ |access-date=September 1, 2014 |agency=The Baltimore Sun |publisher=Baltimore Sun Media Group |date=April 16, 2014 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903061103/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-04-16/features/bal-duff-goldman-bakes-the-cakes-for-katy-perrys-birthday-video-20140416_1_duff-goldman-charm-city-cakes-video |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2022, Goldman competed in [[The Masked Singer (American TV series) season 7|season seven]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' as "McTerrier" of Team Good. After the performance of [[Loverboy]]'s "[[Working for the Weekend]]", McTerrier's mask accidentally came off and he had to shield his head while the panelists shielded their eyes until a crew member had to run out and put the mask back on. He was the first to be eliminated.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/the-masked-singer-mcterrier-interview/|title=''The Masked Singer'' reveals first out of season 7: McTerrier didn't want to be a 'jackass,' but 'totally screwed it up'|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Lauren Huff|date=March 9, 2022|access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref>

Goldman is a judge on several [[Food Network]] cooking competitions, such as [[Holiday Baking Championship]], [[Spring Baking Championship]] and [[Kids Baking Championship]]. He co-hosted the last show with [[Valerie Bertinelli]] from seasons 1-12, and with [[Kardea Brown]] in season 13.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kardea Brown Announced as the New Host of Kids Baking Championship (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/kardea-brown-announced-new-host-kids-baking-championship-exclusive-8721537 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref>

Duff has appeared in ''[[Guy's Grocery Games]]'' - most notably the episode titled ''Delivery: All-Star [[Hanukkah]]'', in which he competed against [[Aaron May (chef)|Aaron May]] and [[Eric Greenspan]], and the judges were [[Antonia Lofaso]], [[Catherine McCord]], and [[Jonathan Waxman]], all of whom are of Jewish descent, except for Ms. McCord, whose husband is Jewish.

== Personal life == As of 2021, Goldman lives in Los Angeles, California. He played bass guitar in an indie-rock band called "...soihadto...".<ref name="The Food Network" /> He later became the bass player in the band Foigrock (a play on [[foie gras]] and rock and roll). He states his alternate dream job would be to perform as a bass player with the band [[Clutch (band)|Clutch]]. Goldman has made a wedding cake for Clutch's lead singer, [[Neil Fallon]].<ref name="FoodNet1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/duff-goldman |title=Duff Goldman |website=Food Network}}</ref><ref name="BaltimoreCityPaper">{{Cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/ |title=Baltimore Sun: Baltimore breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic |website=baltimoresun.com}}</ref> In addition, Fallon's younger sister and Goldman's friend from college, Mary Alice Fallon-Yeskey, works at Charm City Cakes as the office manager.<ref name="Balt_JT">Alan H. Feiler, "Flour Power", ''Baltimore Jewish Times'', March 2, 2007.</ref>

Goldman is Jewish and enjoys giving back to the community.<ref>{{cite news |title=American Jewish Life Magazine |url=http://www.ajlmagazine.com/archivesblog/2007/09/ajl-mini-hot-list-duff-goldman-hot.html |access-date=April 21, 2020 |date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003706/http://www.ajlmagazine.com/archivesblog/2007/09/ajl-mini-hot-list-duff-goldman-hot.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> In an interview with [[Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life]], Goldman said "Tzedakah is very important to me. I’ve been so fortunate with everything that has happened to me, it would be a crime not to give back."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170301144754/http://www.hillel.org/about/news-views/2007/sep/20sept2007_duffgoldman.htm Views], hillel.org. September 20, 2007.</ref> On September 25, 2019, Goldman spoke at [[Cornell University]], discussing the importance of [[Jewish identity]] and [[tzedakah]] in his life.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://cornellsun.com/2019/09/26/duff-goldman-renowned-celebrity-baker-reflects-on-career-and-jewish-identity/ |title=Duff Goldman, Renowned Celebrity Baker, Reflects on Career and Jewish Identity |last=Kilpatrick |first=Aliyah |work=The Cornell Daily Sun |date=September 26, 2019}}</ref>

In 2012, Goldman lost toes in a motorcycle accident.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ace-of-cakes-duff-goldman-lost-toes-in-crash-still-rides-motorcycle-20142310/ |title=Ace of Cakes' Duff Goldman Lost Toes in Crash, Still Rides Motorcycle |work=[[Us Weekly]]}}</ref>

On April 2, 2018, Goldman proposed to Johnna Colbry,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/03/entertainment/duff-goldman-engaged/index.html |title='Ace of Cakes' star gets engaged with twine |first=Lisa Respers |last=France |publisher=CNN |access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> whom he later married in January 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://people.com/food/duff-goldman-married-wife-johnna-colbry-wedding-details/|title=Duff Goldman Is a Married Man! The Chef Weds Johnna Colbry at the Museum of Natural History|first=Ana|last=Calderone|publisher=People|date=January 21, 2019}}</ref> In January 2021, their daughter was born.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2020 |title=Food Network Star Duff Goldman Expecting First Child With Wife Johnna: 'Our Biggest Adventure Yet' |url=https://people.com/parents/duff-goldman-expecting-first-child-with-wife-johnna-colbry/ |website=PEOPLE.com |language=EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=VanHoose |first=Benjamin |title=Food Network's Duff Goldman Praises 'Strong' Wife Johnna After Welcoming Daughter: 'Natural Mom' |url=https://people.com/parents/duff-goldman-praises-strong-wife-after-welcoming-first-child-daughter-josephine/ |date=February 2, 2021 |access-date=February 3, 2021 |magazine=People |language=en}}</ref> In March 2026, their son was born.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Clements |first=Erin |title=Duff Goldman and Wife Johnna Welcome Baby No. 2 and Share His Unique Name (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/duff-goldman-and-wife-johnna-welcome-their-second-baby-exclusive-11941839 |date=April 3, 2026 |access-date=April 24, 2026 |magazine=People |language=en}}</ref>

== Bibliography == 2009, ''Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes'',

2015, ''Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home''<ref>{{Cite book |isbn=978-0062349804 |title=Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home |last1=Goldman |first1=Duff |date=November 3, 2015|publisher=HarperCollins }}</ref>

2020, ''Super Good Baking for Kids''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chef Duff Goldman Is Releasing His First-Ever Cookbook for Kids |url=https://people.com/food/chef-duff-goldman-is-releasing-his-first-ever-cookbook-for-kids/ |access-date=September 30, 2020 |website=PEOPLE.com |language=EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=September 2020 |first=Jane Marion {{!}} |date=September 3, 2020 |title=Duff Goldman Cooks Up a Cookbook for Kids |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/duff-goldman-releases-kids-cookbook/ |access-date=September 30, 2020 |website=Baltimore Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

* ''Cake Masters'' (2016) * ''Duff Till Dawn'' (2015) * ''[[Ace of Cakes]]'' (2006–2011) * ''[[Holiday Baking Championship]]'' (2014–) * ''Imagination movers ''(2006) * ''[[Iron Chef America]]'' (2005) * ''[[Kids Baking Championship]]'' (2014–) * ''[[Spring Baking Championship]]'' (2015–) * ''[[Worst Bakers in America]]'' (2016–2019) * ''Dessert Games'' (2017) * ''[[Buddy vs. Duff]]'' (2019–2021)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/2019/1/buddy-valastro-and-duff-goldman-battle-in-the-ultimate-baking-br |title=Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman Battle to be Crowned the Undisputed King of Cake |website=Food Network |first=Joel |last=Raneri |date=January 2019 |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref> * ''[[Duff Takes the Cake]]'' (2019–2020)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/duff-takes-the-cake |title=Duff Takes The Cake |via=www.foodnetwork.com}}</ref> * ''[[Double Dare (Nickelodeon game show)|Double Dare]]'' (2019){{citation needed|date=May 2023}} * ''[[Ryan's Mystery Playdate]]'' (2019) * ''[[Nickelodeon's Unfiltered|Unfiltered]]'' (2020) * ''[[Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time]]'' (2021) * ''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]'' (2022) * ''[[A Gingerbread Christmas]]'' (2022) * ''Summer Baking Championship'' (2023–) * ''[[Guy's Grocery Games]] Delivery'' * ''[[The Tiny Chef Show]]'' (2025)

==Awards and nominations==

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! Refs |- | 2023 | [[2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards|Children's and Family Emmy Awards]] | [[Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Host|Outstanding Host]] | ''[[Kids Baking Championship]]'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Children's & Family Emmy Awards: Disney Dominates Nominations|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/childrens-family-emmy-awards-nominations-2023-1235635652/|access-date=November 7, 2023 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|first=Tyler|last=Coates|date=November 2, 2023 }}</ref> |}

== References ==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldman, Duff}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American bass guitarists]] [[Category:21st-century American businesspeople]] [[Category:21st-century American Jews]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:American bakers]] [[Category:American chief executives in the food industry]] [[Category:American food company founders]] [[Category:American male non-fiction writers]] [[Category:American television chefs]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Detroit]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Baltimore]] [[Category:Chefs from Maryland]] [[Category:Culinary Institute of America alumni]] [[Category:Food Network chefs]] [[Category:George Washington University Corcoran School alumni]] [[Category:Jewish American musicians]] [[Category:Jewish American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:Musicians from Detroit]] [[Category:Musicians from Maryland]] [[Category:Pastry chefs]] [[Category:University of Maryland, Baltimore County alumni]] [[Category:Writers from Baltimore]] [[Category:Writers from Detroit]] [[Category:Chefs from Michigan]]