You need to know
The bakery business is run by the Varastrophe family.
Buddy Varastro, the famous cake boss at Carlo’s bakery, receives helping hand from her eldest son Sofia, 23, and 22-year-old Buddy Jr. at the Family Bake Shop. Due to the issues of people’s generations (at the newsstand), the two unveiled the father, 48, boss and dad, and the most valuable lessons they have gathered from him.
A recent graduate of the University of Delaware, Sofia returned to her home country to support her father at a bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey.
“I couldn’t be proud of my daughter,” Buddy Sr. told her daughters in 2023. “I don’t worry too much about her. She’s a strong, independent, wonderful young woman.”
Courtesy Carlos Bakery
Meanwhile, his eldest son is currently attending Syracuse University. He is part of the Fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon. However, when he returns home during his break, he is back at the bakery with his father and sister.
Buddy Jr. was a senior in high school, but his father revealed he “has a hard time deciding” whether he goes to college or not.
“He just wants to come to business, we’ll go back and forth with that,” said Buddy, who is also the father of 18-year-old Marco and 14-year-old Carlo, along with his 24-year-old wife, Lisa.
Now, Sofia and Buddy Jr. are all grown up and are veteran peers of their fathers. For people, they reveal what it’s like to work under a cake boss, and with the “simple and powerful” lessons they learned from the father of a Baker businessman.
Denise Truscello/Getty Images
What is it like working with your dad?
Sofia: Working with my father is a very blessing. It’s truly exciting to see him pour his passion into every aspect of what he’s built up. Even after all these years, he hasn’t slowed down a bit. He is still the first in the office, leaving at the end and even on the weekends when needed.
Buddy Jr. : He builds this up with such passion and seeing him grind every day makes me appreciate the opportunity to work harder and learn directly from him.
What does your father look like in boss mode and dad mode?
Sofia: When he’s in boss mode, my dad is all business. Concentration, busy, detailed oriented. He sets high standards and always sets an example. But when he shifts to dad mode, he is the most loving man. He jokes, gives advice, and makes time for his family no matter how busy he is.
The biggest difference is that he is the “cake boss” in the bakery, but at home he is just a dad. We support us, teach us life lessons and make us feel supported.
Buddy Jr. : In boss mode, my dad works harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. He is non-stop. In Dad mode, it’s all about family laughing and spending time together doing what we love. He works really hard and plays hard.
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What are the most valuable lessons you learned from working with him?
Sofia: The most valuable lessons I learned from working with my father are simple, but powerful. Family always comes first and never give up. No matter how busy he is, he reminds me that nothing is more important than family. Even if challenges arise, he shows me every day that tenacity and passion can overcome you anything.
Buddy Jr. : The biggest lesson I learned from working with my dad is that family is at the heart of everything. No matter how much he accomplishes, he won’t let us forget it.
For more information about Valastros, as well as other well-known families, get the latest issue of Newsstands People now.
