This guy is a friend of my dads and he suggested talking to him about my concerns. I can just play it like I want to show him pictures of the kind of decorations I want and then explain that I have tasted other cakes and would like to discuss options.
Dad reminded me that this guy gets his business from word of mouth, so if he does not think that he can give us what we want, he will be honest about it.
I am going to call him tonight and set up a time to meet!!
Thanks again!!
GREYFUZZY 5/9/07 9:26 P
Cancel, cancel cancel! If neither of you are crazy about this guy's cakes AND he is being difficult about what you want to do, then why stick with him?
That being said, I can vouch that not everyone likes fondant. I do some cake decorating here and there (doing a wedding cake at the end of the month!), so I've eaten AND worked with my share of the stuff. It looks pretty but the taste is kind of 'love it or hate it'. Most people I know (including myself) prefer buttercream icing. Fondant IS a lot harder to work with, so I agree that he's probably trying to take the lazy way out. It is also generally more expensive (both because of the cost of fondant and the extra labor involved).
Do make sure that you have tasted fondant before ordering a fondant cake. You may love it, but then again you may not - it is very different from regular icing. But either way... cancel with this guy. He obviously isn't willing to put in much effort or creativity.
SCATTS 5/9/07 3:41 P
I've had many a cake done with fondant! And if it is done well, I actually prefer it to an icing like buttercream. It just adds a nice texture... a little sort of chewiness. I am having an almond flavored fondant done on mine. YUM! :)
LADYBOOP1970 5/9/07 3:37 P
First, did you put any $ down to hold his services, and will you lose it if you cancel? If you didn't, or those things don't matter, cancel his services. If you're worried about it, give him a chance to redeem himself. Tell him you really want the fondant, and discuss how it could be flavored. Although, I will say, I haven't talked to anyone - brides or bakers - who say fondant tastes good. I personally haven't tried it, so I can't say for sure, but I've heard that many, many times. Also discuss with him that you want more than just a plain yellow cake. This should be a gimmie for him. Most brides these days want some sort of flavor other than yellow. That should be an easy fix for him. If not - red flags!!
But if neither you nor your FI thought the cake was even that good to begin with, I'd seriously consider booting him. This is one area you don't really want to go half-heartedly on.(at least in my opinion).
REANA_MAMA 5/9/07 1:05 P
I would also cancel! I have no idea how I want my cake to be as yet, but when I do, I know that I wouldn't allow anyone to sway my decision.
If he doesn't want to do the fondant, then I guess he doesn't really want your business.
SCATTS 5/9/07 11:47 A
I would totally cancel with any pastry chef who tries to talk me out of a fondant cake because it is "tasteless".
Fondants can be flavored, just like icing, he should know this. But fondants are much more difficult than plain icing... and it sounds to me like he is trying to take the lazy way out... too much work on his part.
Fondant cakes are beautiful and classy... they didnt get this reputation by being "tasteless"!! Your baker should be excited about making a fondant cake for you! Its a wonderful medium to work with... this guy apparently has no creative flair! I would DEFINITELY seek someone else out!
RYAN8669 5/9/07 11:42 A
The caterer that did the food and cake for my sister's wedding a few years ago is going to be doing the food and cake for my wedding.
When we did the food and cake tasting, I thought that the cake was ok, but nothing outstanding. Chris and my step-mother really seemed to like it - so I agreed. After we left Chris tells me that he really did not like the cake that much!
Also, this guy did not seem really keen on the design of the outside of the cake that we wanted. We want fondant covering the outside and little pearls of icing to decorate the space where each layer sets on the next (does that make sense?). He told us that fondant has no taste and he did not use it much.
What should we do? I don't want to cause hard feelings, but Chris and I think that we want some kind of flavoring in the cake, not just plain yellow cake. We want a fun flavored icing underneith the fondant, so the outside of the cake looks just the way we want it to.
Should I call and just cancel the cake with the food guy and get someone else? Should I give him the option of proving to us that he can give us what we want? How should I approach this with him??
