I Became A Celebrity After Baking Cake At My Brother’s Wedding, Says Cake Maestro Tosan Jemide

Tosan Jemide, founder of ‘Cakes by Tosan’ popularly known as the “Cake Maestro” got an early exposure to cake making from his mother at age 10 and later proceeded to the united kingdom in 1996, where he perfected his sugarcraft and cake making.

Sharing his success story at the 2018 youth entrepreneurship and empowerment programme (YEEP) held at the International Conference Center, ICC, Abuja on Monday, Jemide, who took the apron and rolling pin thought to be only for women to create cakes that look like artistic masterpieces, urged entrepreneurs to identify their skills so they don’t become push-overs.

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He further advised potential entrepreneurs to develop their skills so as to place value on it. Armed with the combination of raw talent, passion, desire to blaze the trail and acquired skills, Tosan returned from U.K in the year 2000 with only 200 pounds and a briefcase containing cake tools.

He had no house of his own because he couldn’t afford the rent and had to squat with his younger sister who provided a little space from where the story of cakesbytosan began.

“So a lot of times it baffles me to hear people say things are hard, I don’t know where to start from, or I don’t know what to do. Please just do something, where ever you are with whatever you have at the moment no matter how small it is.”

Dwelling more on skills, the maestro said skills can only turn into gold when a tag of value is placed on it.

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“Every clothing item is made of fabrics until a tag is placed on it, and this tag emanates from a glowing brand like Nike or Adidas. So yourself value remains in a little state until you place or activate your tags (talents, ability, and gifts).

“Skill then becomes the leverage that will galvanise other innate treasures in the process of delivering value, skill is a game changer.”

Speaking on his inspiration into the industry, Jemide praised his elder brother for giving him the break he needed at a time he had no clients.

“Sometime in 1983, my mum passed on and coincidentally, just about three years later, my eldest brother was getting married. At that time, I had never baked a cake from start to finish alone. Yet, I agreed to bake the cake.

“After several failed attempts of getting the cake right, I finally baked the perfect cake that got everyone in the wedding singing praises.”

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He said his desire for excellence uniqueness and style however, brought him the 2013 award at the international cake event in Manchester UK, for building a 28 feet sugar craft edifice known to be the tallest cake in Africa till date which was after he created a life-size African woman cake at the squires kitchens 25th annual exhibition in 2011.

Expatiating on the success of his award-winning cake, Jemide said ,”planning took us about six weeks, baking the actual cake in itself took us about 50 hours but the actual process of building the tallest cake itself which includes setting up, finishing, and building lasted about 15 good hours which was the longest night of our lives.”

The Delta native whose works has stood the taste of time in the sugarcraft industry, however, revealed Matha Stewart as his role model, as he especially admires her for her business model.

Jemide is known as an adventurous foodie who believes he can do anything with cakes. He is also a philanthropist, dedicating time and resources to youth charities.

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