Episode 2: Claire Ptak
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In our Ask A Woman interview series, Julie Etchingham talks to women from all walks of life about their experiences and the advice they would offer to young women today. Having any role to play in Harry and Meghan's royal wedding must have been daunting. But how did it feel to create the masterpiece cake viewed by millions and eaten by 700 guests, including the Queen and Oprah? According to Claire Ptak, the answer is: a little stressful. She is the now-famous baker from California who, one day last January, received an unexpected email request asking her east London bakery if it fancied catering desserts for the year's most high-profile nuptials. "Obviously it was very exciting so we sort of dropped everything and replied right away and tried to figure out how we could do what we needed to do," Claire told Julie Etchingham. For Claire, whose other clients include celebrity chefs Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, it has been a long journey after getting her first kitchen job at the age of 12. After working various jobs outside of cooking, Claire decided she wanted to be a baker full time and got a job in a top US restaurant. Before long she realised she wanted to be her own boss and moved to London where she set up her own cake stall at a local market and saved up until she could afford to open Violet bakery in 2010. So after the success of the royal wedding, who is on her hit list to bake a cake for? Claire said after seeing the likes of Oprah and Serena Williams tucking into her creation in May, she's keen for a break from big name eaters. But that didn't stop her contemplating the Ask A Woman selection of three dream dinner guests, from any point in history. Like this podcast? Subscribe to receive new episodes. #AskAWomanITV
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Published 07/13/21
Published 07/13/21