The Caker
Headway sits down with Jordan Rondel, founder of The Caker and ‘it’ girl of home-baking.
Tell us about your career journey? Where did it begin, and how did it evolve to where you are now?
I first experienced the elation of baking as a young girl visiting my grandparents in Paris. That joy of transforming carefully selected ingredients into a miraculously satisfying whole never left me. As I grew up, the kitchen became my domain. In 2010 in Auckland, I made a life-changing decision and officially became The Caker. Since then, I’ve grown a cult following for my recipe books, luxury baking kits, masterclasses and made-to-order cakes. In 2019 I expanded into the USA, where my sister (co-owner of The Caker) and I now live. We have a small bakery operation here but the focus is on scaling the cake kits so that they can be distributed globally.
Your bake-at-home kits make cakes that you wouldn’t expect to come from a box. How do you achieve this?
I wanted to create a more scalable version of my fresh cakes which could fulfil the cake needs of people all over the world - this is where the concept for my cake kits came from. It took years to perfect; from formulating recipes, designing packaging, and setting up supply chains. This was not an overnight project!
We love your photoshoots dressing up in couture to match your cake flavours! What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is a very important aspect of life to me because the way I dress is how I express myself. Because I am the name and face of my business, how I present myself is key to allowing people to understand the aesthetic and culture of the brand.
Where does your self-awareness and confidence come from?
I think a lot of it comes from having my sister by my side at all times. For both of us, having that person to constantly boost you and bring out the best in you from a place of pure love, is the most magical thing in the world. We both make each other more confident and self-aware because we know we can achieve more when in this state, so if I ever see it wane in Anouk, I’m right there to lift her up and she does the same for me.
What inspires your recipes and cake designs?
My Auckland bakers are so talented and a constant source of inspiration. Eli, who manages The Caker there is my right-hand man who I riff ideas with all the time. We’re always creating new mood boards and sending each other recipe concepts. At the core of it though I’m inspired by which fruits and flowers are in season, and I love to incorporate ingredients that you wouldn’t expect to find in a sweet setting.
You’ve had some pretty high profile commissions and collaborations. Any highlights?
I know that Pamela Anderson has tasted my flourless dark chocolate cake, made from a kit that a friend made, and brought it to a party she was at. Apparently she loved it. I also made Flea’s wedding cakes, which was pretty cool because we got to set up the dessert table while Lauryn Hill was performing behind us.
What’s your business style? Are you more of a “five-year plan Jordan” or a “follow my intuition Jordan”?
I’m definitely more of a “follow my intuition” type business person. I like the idea of a five-year plan and I’ve attempted to write many of them, but what I’ve learnt is that so long as you have the end goal clearly in sight, you’ll get there no matter how you plan it. I trust my intuition for the most part!
What advice in life are you thankful you’ve taken, and what advice are you pleased you ignored?
I’m glad I ignored any advice about how hard it can be working with family. Working with my sister is the only way I could do this! Some helpful advice I once gained from listening to a TED Talk was about making stress your friend. At the time, I was very stressed and it helped me turn it around and use it to my advantage.
We think celebrations should extend further and more frequently than birthdays. What will you be celebrating this season and how?
I agree! This season I’ll be celebrating my friends, the sunshine, my health, songs that make me feel happy, good wine, strong coffee, delicious food, being able to walk to work instead of being stuck in a car, a trip to Mexico City, and the fact I adore my job.