Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Cortinez.
Hi Erin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My Name is Erin Cortinez, and I’m originally from Rockford, IL, and I moved to Nashville about 4 years ago. I’ve loved baking as far back as I can remember. I was a child obsessed with candy and anything sweet. So when I got old enough to help out with making these delicious creations, I was hooked. I was my mom’s little helper and loved decorating the massive amounts of Christmas cookies we made every year. My mom taught me everything she knew, and I truly owe my passion to her.
As I got older and hit high school, I knew I wanted to be a pastry chef, but I needed to figure out my specialty. Then, one day after school, my mom watched the Food Network, and The Ace of Cakes was on. I had no idea that cakes could be actual sculptures or that there was that much detail and artwork that could go into them and still be edible! My Jaw dropped. I watched it and knew this was what I wanted to do.
After high school, I went to study at Kendall College in Chicago, IL. I lasted for a year, decided it wasn’t the right fit for me, and went back home to Rockford. Even though I didn’t finish culinary school, it still got me my dream job at Sugarjones Bakery. I loved working there, and the owner, Kathy Pomerene, took me under her wing and taught me everything about being a successful baker and decorator.
After 4 years at Sugarjones, I decided I needed to make a big life change and moved to Nashville in 2018. This was the best decision I’ve ever made. I didn’t know anybody in the Nashville area, but my parents encouraged me through it, and even though I didn’t have family here, they helped make it feel like home. I started working at the popular Dulce Desserts and learned the ins & out’s of being a wedding cake decorator. This is where I fell in love with creating wedding cakes; seeing the looks on the couple’s faces when they see their dream wedding cake come to life is the best feeling.
Like most of the world, I found myself out of work when the pandemic hit and, honestly, completely lost in my career. That’s when I saw Frothy Monkey Bakery hiring a cake decorator; the rest is history. Frothy has given me all the creative freedom I could ask for. I have gotten to explore and improve my skills beyond what I even thought I could do. Now I am the Cake Department Manager, specializing in cakes, decorated sugar cookies, and small desserts. We love to push the boundaries of the creative process while keeping styles relevant to pop culture and the ever-changing techniques in cake design. Our cake flavors are unique and high-end to ensure you’ll remember it’s an experience.
My advice to anyone who is not content or struggling with where they are is that it is okay to pick up and start again in a new place and find your happiness.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge to anyone looking to start a cake career is that it’s not all sprinkles and glitter. It is hard work, and most of the time decorating is the very last step in the process. There will be super long days and no weekends, but it will be well worth the sweat and tears in the long run.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love creating wedding cakes with a modern, unique edge. I like to play with short or tall tiered cakes and different textures, like wafer paper or spackled buttercream. My inspirations in design are Maggie Austen & Heidi Moore Holmon. We also specialize in vegan and gluten-alternative cake options so anyone can celebrate with cake. I also make custom-designed cakes for celebrations; we will take any challenge and design that comes our way. We love the “Is it cake?” style. We are more savory food-centric and have created tacos, burgers, baguettes, a ramen bowl, etc. These projects are so much fun, and I pull most of my inspiration from the cake artist Natalie Sideserf of Sideserf Cake Studio.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success as being happy and content with where you are in life. You don’t need a career to succeed; you need to be surrounded by your family, friends, and dessert.
Contact Info:
- Website: frothymonkey.com
- Instagram: @frothymonkeybakery @shetalkscake
Image Credits
Christian Cortinez-@ccortinez Justin Wright-@justinwrightphoto Chris Monachino-@chrismonachino
