Melissa Ben- Ishay

Melissa Ben-Ishay is the founder, creator and president of the New York City bakery brand, Baked by Melissa.

Ben-Ishay always loved baking from a young age, creating birthday and celebration cakes for her family and friends throughout her childhood. After graduating college she got a job in the advertising industry, but was always baking on the side and developing her passion and skills for making cakes. She was eventually fired from her job, forcing her to make the choice to start baking full time. She hasn’t looked back since, booking her first catering job at an event just two weeks later and going on to build a multi-million dollar empire. Ben-Ishay continued to cater for events, soon opening a stall in Manhattan’s Soho district which proved to be hugely popular. She opened her first store in 2009, going on to open 13 more over the coming years in numerous locations across America. The brand is known for its signature bite-sized cupcakes, as well as huge range of flavours and customisable designs. The company now ships cakes across the country, and is proud to still personally develop every new flavour to the highest standards.

This hugely successful entrepreneur now runs the company with her husband, as well as partnering with several charities including Side with Love, and Make-a-Wish. Ben-Ishay released her first cookbook in 2017, called Cakes By Melissa: Life is What You Bake It, and continues to expand across the USA and the world.