Interview: Celebrity Baker Georgia Green
Interview: Celebrity Baker Georgia Green
Georgia talk us through how your love of baking started?
Funnily enough, I only discovered my love of baking later on in life. Whilst I dabbled in making cupcakes on rainy weekends with my younger siblings, I started to bake more seriously during my animation studies when I was 19. So much so, that my final project was a short film of me hosting a cooking show and all the food was animated. It was around then that my love for cooking and baking was overpowering my desire to animate that I actually realised it was my true path and passion.
Baking is a meticulous art form- what makes a brilliant baker?
Patience and creativity. Patience, because baking is not something that can be done quickly, due to setting times, baking times etc. Also, learning and developing the skills to bake and decorate cakes takes a lot of patience which people underestimate. I’ve been cake decorating for 10 years now, and I’m still learning new skills and getting better every day.
What are you most proud of in your career as a chef?
My new book; Georgia’s Cakes. Writing and publishing a book was my dream since day one, and whilst the idea of what the subject of the book was going to be changed along the way, to be able to hold a hardback copy of my masterclass in cake decorating is just the best feeling in the world. Plus, people actually buying it, baking from it and saying how helpful it is all I could have ever wished for.
You set up ‘Georgia’s cakes’ in 2015 – what was it like running your own business and what did you learn?
I’m sure I’m not the first person to say that I had no idea what I was doing when I started my business, but it’s true! Luckily, I had close friends who were self- employed so they helped me get set up with an accountant and sort the legal side of things, but regarding the business, selling and marketing, I was just diving in head first without a clue! It was around the same time that Instagram was becoming popular so luckily I joined the platform which helped me grew, but that took me a while to master…in fact, still does! In the back of my head I did have a timeline that if my business hadn’t lifted off within x amount of months then I would have looked for another paid regular job. Luckily it did 🙂
How influential has social media been to your success?
I don’t think I would have been able to grow and become known all over the world without social media. It started with gaining popularity on Instagram through having my work shared, viral videos, being tagged etc. but then when I began my YouTube channel, it opened up many more doors to my career. I went from a home cake maker to a tutor and widely recognisable cake personality. People recognise my face, not just my cakes!
What inspired you to write ‘Georgia’ Cakes’? As mentioned before, I always wanted to write a book so I have always searched for the reason and content to write one. The more I baked and made cakes, I realised that baking doesn’t have to be so hard and complicated, and therefore only a few recipes are actually needed. What needs attention is the technique of cake decorating specifically, and I had yet to see a book that was so detailed about exactly this. Most baking and cake decorating books have very vague descriptions of how to actually decorate…usually along the lines of “apply the frosting and spread until smooth” whereas I have a whole chapter dedicated to smoothing out buttercream.
What cake are you most proud of?
There are a few cake designs I’ve made which I hadn’t expected to work that actually ended up being quite good, such as a carved pumpkin, a bronze figurine and a real-looking burger, however I think one of my proudest cake moments was a 6 tier cake that I delivered to Claridges hotel in London for a wedding.
Which celebs have you baked for?
When I was just starting out, I had the opportunity to make a cake for Cara Delevigne which was a really exciting opportunity, especially because not only was I able to present it to her, I cut her a slice which she ate! But I think the biggest name which I will never not boast about is Rihanna.
What are your top tips for baking at Christmas?
Embrace the holiday flavours! Add a touch of ground cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg to one of your favourite recipes for a festive touch. It’s also good to try something new! Making mince pies from scratch sounds like a daunting task but it’s very doable and so worth it. It will be hard to go back to store bought pies after making your own…trust me!
It’s also an economical and personal touch to bake your presents! Whether it’s a decorated cookie, a box of cupcakes or tray bakes.
Finally, prepare and freeze ahead of time! You don’t want to be spending hours in the kitchen making a dessert on Christmas day. Find recipes that can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer to then bake fresh on the day you want to serve them.
