New Jersey gave the world Buddy Valastro, and Buddy Valastro gave the world some remarkable gifts.
Custom, fondant wrapped, cereal layered cakes for birthdays and other occasions.
But also: “You can’t arrest me! I’m the Cake Boss!”
The line took off in a big way after Valastro was arrested in 2014 driving while intoxicated in New York.
Valastro, who grew up in Little Ferry and lives in Montville, rose to fame in 2009 on the TLC series “Cake Boss,” filmed at Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken. He last appeared on the show in 2020 after moving to the Discovery Family network.
Cake Boss used his TV fame to start an empire of cake shops and restaurants.
It’s back on TV this fall on a new network.
Valastro, 46, will be the host A&E series”Legends of the Fork” that has him visiting restaurants and talking to chefs from Jersey to Los Angeles.
It will also host “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty“ – you know, like another A&E reality show,”Duck Dynasty.”
The series is based on “Cake Boss” in that it revolves around Carlo’s Bakery and Valastro’s extended family dealing with his bakery-restaurant empire, which includes Carlo’s Bake Shop cake machines or ATMs.
During the season, Valastro also makes cakes for Neil Patrick Harris’ 50th birthday and other occasions such as the 20th anniversary of “Wicked” on Broadway.
Jersey’s Cake Boss, who serves as an executive producer for both A&E shows, is launching the series three years after suffering a serious injury. A pin setter at his home bowling alley impaled his right arm in 2020.
He underwent surgeries to repair his hand and told the story of his recovery on the TLC special “Buddy Valastro: The Road to Recovery.”
Inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2018, Valastro has expanded his business across the country over the years with mixed results.
His Carlo’s Bake Shops expanded from New Jersey to open locations across the country, but several Jersey locations closed after the expansion (Ridgewood, Morristown, Red Bank, Wayne and Westfield).
Valastro now only has Hoboken and Marlton locations, along with cake machines at the Jon Bon Jovi, Thomas Edison, Molly Pitcher and Vince Lombardi rest stops on the Turnpike and Parkway.
Reality TV personality who had a spin-off series “Cake Boss” (as a competition series “Cake Boss: Next Great Baker” and “Buddy’s Bakery Rescue”) and frequent appearances on the Food Network, opened Buddy V’s Ristorante at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas in 2013.
His Vegas footprint grew with PizzaCake at Harrah’s Las Vegas in 2020 and Buddy Valastro’s The Boss Cafe and Buddy’s Jersey Eats at The Linq Hotel + Experience.
The new shows will premiere back-to-back on A&E. “Legends of the Fork” airs at 9:00 PM ET/PT Saturday, November 11 and “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty” airs at 10:00 PM ET/PT.
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Amy Kuperinsky can be reached at [email protected] and followed in @AmyKup.