Duff Goldman, born on December 17, 1974, has climbed up the ladder to success, proving with every cake that he’s everything the books say about him and more. This Sagittarius is a cookbook author, an extremely talented pastry chef, and a T.V. personality. He’s known mostly for his business, Charm City Cakes, where he’s the executive chef and has been featured on shows like “Iron Chef America,” “Oprah,” and “Man v. Food.” We’ll help you celebrate this talented and versatile pastry chef.
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Jeffrey Adam Goldman
Birth date:
December 17, 1974
Age:
49
Zodiac Sign:
Sagittarius
Height:
5' 4.01"
Relationship Status:
Married
Net Worth:
$5 million
Background
Duff Goldman, originally Jeffrey Adam Goldman, was born in Detroit, Michigan to Morrie Goldman and Jackie Winch. Goldman has an older brother by the name of Willie Goldman. He started watching food shows by chefs like Chef Tell at the age of four.
His parents got divorced when he was 10 years old. After graduating from Sandwich High School, Goldman found a job, initially working in a mall at a bagel store. While hustling here and there, he applied for a job at Charleston restaurant, the finest in Baltimore. Although he had irrelevant work experience, he was allowed to work making cornbread and biscuits, and this marked a turn in his life. He attended the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone after which he worked under the guidance of several chefs including at Todd English’s Olives restaurant. In 2002, he started his own business called Charm City Cakes where he initially worked from his house due to a lack of finances to cover the costs of renting out property. As the business grew, he employed more people until eventually, he was able to work at a proper establishment. He made cakes for several famous people, including Katy Perry, Sir Roger Moore, and Tom Clancy. Goldman has written numerous cookbooks thus far, including “Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home” and “Super Good Baking for Kids.” He’s also made appearances in a variety of shows such as “Buddy v. Duff,” “Kids Baking Championship,” “Cake Masters,” “Double Dare,” and “Unfiltered.”
Goldman was involved in a motorcycle accident where he lost some toes. He is also Jewish and married to Johnna Colbry. The couple brought a beautiful baby girl into this world, named Josephine Frances Goldman, in 2021.
Career timeline
He establishes and launches his own business called Charm City Cakes.
Goldman writes his first cookbook called "Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes."
Goldman makes a cake for President Barack Obama's second inaugural ball.
Goldman competes as McTerrier in season seven of "The Masked Singer."
Why We Love Duff Goldman
He is driven
Goldman developed an interest in cooking as early as the age of four. He was already watching chefs with a keen interest in what they were doing and how, and he went as far as attending culinary school to hone his skill. Driven by his passion, he applied for a job to be a cook even though he didn't meet the requirements. It was all hard work that had to do with being in the kitchen.
He is versatile
Goldman is an extremely skilled pastry chef but there's more to him than just making the best cakes. He's also part of a rock band where he plays the guitar, and we'd like to believe that he still has the skill of painting graffiti.
He is a risk-taker
The first risk he took was applying for a job in which he didn't meet the requirements and to his surprise and ours, he got the job as a cornbread and biscuit maker, which was a good start and a milestone. He then later went on to establish his own business with no surety that it would grow into what it is today, but his business went from three workers to making cakes for presidential affairs.
5 Surprising Facts
Goldman makes cakes in reverse
He starts his cakes by making all the toppings and decorations before turning on the oven to make the actual sponge.
He was a graffiti artist
As a high school kid, he had a passion for graffiti and constantly honed his skill in this art.
He is part of a rock band
Apart from being a great chef, he's part of a rock band called Soihadto, where he plays bass guitar.
Goldman is a former McDonald's worker
Before rising to fame with his extraordinary culinary skills, he used to work odd jobs, one of which was at McDonald's.
His name comes from his brother
His older brother, Willie, struggled to pronounce Goldman's real name and instead would keep calling him Duffy.
Duff Goldman FAQs
Does Goldman have a bakery in California?
Goldman founded Goldman’s Cakemix, a D.I.Y. cake and cupcake decorating studio in Los Angeles; the studio has grown to several other locations, including California.
Who's the better baker between Goldman and Buddy?
The best way to answer this is that Buddy was named the winner and the King of Cakes in Buddy v. Duff, leading Goldman with a score of 247 to 245.
How many cookbooks does he have?
Goldman has three cookbooks thus far.
Duff Goldman’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2024 | December 17 | Tuesday |
2025 | December 17 | Wednesday |
2026 | December 17 | Thursday |
2027 | December 17 | Friday |
2028 | December 17 | Sunday |