Dana Herbert: A Talk with “The King of Cakes”

Known as "The Sugar Daddy" and "King of Cakes," Dana Herbert is the Executive Pastry Chef and owner of Desserts by Dana in Newark, Delaware. Chef Dana began his culinary career when he received a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Delaware. He then went on to complete a second Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and an additional Associates of Arts in Pastry. His first professional cooking job was at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, working the savory side. But he longed to move to pastry, and he got his opportunity soon after, becoming the In-House Pastry Chef for the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott. In 2011 Chef Dana became well known after he won the first season of TLC’s Cake Boss: Next Great Baker. Chef Dana has appeared on countless television programs and has created cakes for some of the world’s biggest names, including Oprah Winfrey, Ice Cube and Jill Biden. For more info, visit www.dessertsbydana.com. In this episode you’ll learn: How Chef Dana’s love of pastry was nurtured as a child How he has dealt with the Covid-19 crisis What it was like to compete and win on Cake Boss: Next Great Baker The biggest challenge of starting his own business The most popular trends in celebration cakes Chef Dana’s biggest career regret His best advice for those just starting their pastry careers And much more!