Chef Duff Goldman

Jeffrey Adam “Duff” Goldman was born on December 17, 1974, in Detroit, Michigan. His entry into the culinary world began early, with his first kitchen job at a bagel store at age fourteen, followed by experience as a fry cook at McDonald’s. During college, he pursued an opportunity at Charleston, Baltimore’s top restaurant, under Chef Cindy Wolf. This experience, initially making cornbread and biscuits, solidified his career path following his studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in East Asian History with a minor in Ethics, and later at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, California. He further honed his skills with a stagiaire position at The French Laundry and as an executive pastry chef at the Vail Cascade Hotel in Colorado, before working at Todd English’s Olives restaurant in Washington D.C.

In 2002, Goldman established his own bakery, Charm City Cakes, operating initially from his home in Baltimore, Maryland, with two assistants. As demand for his custom cakes grew, he expanded his team, incorporating painters, architects, and sculptors. The bakery became known for its elaborate creations, often utilizing power tools like blow torches, grinders, and drills to construct the structural supports for their complex cakes. This innovative approach earned Charm City Cakes significant recognition, leading to its feature in the Food Network reality television show “Ace of Cakes,” which premiered in 2006. His work expanded to include a second location, Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles, featured in “Duff Till Dawn” and “Cake Masters.”

Goldman’s career has been marked by several high-profile achievements, including creating cakes for notable figures such as former President Barack Obama’s 2013 second inaugural ball, novelist Tom Clancy, the cast of “Lost” and “30 Rock,” actor Sir Roger Moore, and pop singer Katy Perry’s “Birthday” music video. He has authored three cookbooks: “Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes,” “Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home,” and “Super Good Baking for Kids.” Beyond his bakery work, Goldman has become a prominent television personality, judging various Food Network competitions including “Holiday Baking Championship,” “Spring Baking Championship,” and “Kids Baking Championship.” He has also appeared on shows like “Iron Chef America,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and most recently, competed as “McTerrier” on “The Masked Singer” in 2022.