A WORLD-renowned celebrity chef has risen to the challenge after being dared to duel in a trans-Atlantic bake-off with a North-East apprentice.
‘Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro has not only agreed to a cannoli contest with Darlington College student Tomas Wood but the clash will be filmed for his global TV show.
Tomas will fly back to the Big Apple on May 7 just weeks after being part of a Darlington College catering and media student study visit to New York.
He will spend two days shooting footage for a future edition of Cake Boss including making his own special recipe cannoli to challenge the world famous biscuits sold by the celebrated Carlo’s Bakery.
He will be accompanied by two Darlington College staff, his tutor Donna Joyce and Louise Warren Temple, and the race is on to raise the funds to pay for the life-changing trip.
Tomas, 17, of Eggleston, Teesdale, who works at Eggleston Hall, said: “The trip to New York was fantastic; it was such a fabulous experience. I can’t wait to go back for the bake off and I have been fine tuning my cannoli using apple, cinnamon and caramel.”
Donna added: “This is the chance of a lifetime for Tom and we are thrilled that Buddy has invited us on to his show.
“The trip to New York was amazing and is helping all 16 Level 3 patisserie and confectionary students focus on their careers. Quite a few want to go back to New York to work and the trip has given them all drive and ambition to succeed in their qualifications and lives.”
Inspired by Buddy’s book, ‘Baking with the Cake Boss’, Tomas sold more than 1,000 of the tasty treats to finance his first New York expedition.
The college’s marketing department has paid for Tomas’s next trip and Donna is now offering her catering services to raise the fare for the staff.
“We are happy to do cookery demonstrations, dinner parties in people’s homes or bake cakes to raise the money,” she said.
Since 1910 the Carlo’s bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey has been creating pastries and desserts including the popular cannoli biscuits, a cylindrical pastry with a cream filling. There are now nine bakeries in the US.
