On TLC’s Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro runs Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, N.J., making over-the-top cakes. Now six months after he debuted his first dining concept, Buddy V’s Ristorante at The Palazzo, Valastro is back where it all began with the Las Vegas opening of Carlo’s Bakery, across the hall from Buddy V’s. He spoke with Susan Stapleton about whether he considers himself a chef or a cook, his philosophy on cooking and his family’s recipes.
Why open a restaurant in Las Vegas?
The question is, why wouldn’t I open a restaurant in Las Vegas? If you are going to open anywhere, it’s Las Vegas.
What did you think the first time you saw the restaurant?
The feeling that I felt when I stepped inside and saw my name up like that, it was just such a humbling feeling to know that I have a restaurant that’s magnificent, in one of the greatest casinos in the world. Standing here looking at the Strip, the flash of lights, it really made me feel awesome.
Do you consider yourself a baker or a chef?
It’s funny. A lot of people say to me, “You’re a baker.” They’re right. I am a baker. I’m 100 percent a baker. I don’t even call myself a chef. When chefs call me chef, I say, “Call me Buddy.” I don’t really have any formal training. I feel like there are people who are born with a gift in life and I’m one of the people who when I go home or taste something I can identify flavors. And I’m just a really good home cook. I remember being a kid, 17 or 18 years old going out and we’d eat in a restaurant and I think it was fried rice—I’m Italian, fried rice is fried rice—but it was so good I went home and made it because I identified the ingredient and made my own. So I’ve always been able to do that. But a lot of it is being able to identify flavors and being good.
What’s your philosophy on cooking?
I feel that when I do cook, I cook a little different than a chef. You know a baker’s mind-set, you measure everything. It’s scientific. You don’t (go), “Oh I’ll throw a little extra baking powder in.” It ain’t going to happen. So when I cook, I feel like I’m very scientific. If I’m going to make a pot of gravy, I weigh the salt, weigh the sugar, weigh everything that you are going to put in there. Cook it a certain amount to time. It’s consistent. That’s my philosophy on cooking.
How did your family influence the menu?
Growing up in an Italian family, everyone was around food. We had so many great dinners. The culinary rock stars of my life were my dad, my mom, my grandma, my aunts. We would go and have big, extravagant dinners where food comes out, and out, and out. ... I want to bring that to the world. I’m not here saying I’m the greatest chef in the world, because I’m not. My philosophy is when you come here, you feel like you went to your grandma’s house, or you went to a great cook in your life. And I feel like that’s my niche. That’s who I am. I’m not going to sit here and say we’re trying to do the hardest and the most complex dishes in the world. We’re not. But I’m very proud of my food. It’s homemade. It’s not like this is my first rodeo.
