Duff Goldman is known for his vibrant personality and bold, artistic style. Which is why we couldn’t wait to get him into the Godiva kitchens!

You may know him from the Food Network’s shows Ace of Cakes or Sugar High, or maybe you’ve visited one of his Charm City Cakes bakeries. But chef Duff Goldman has been cooking for a lot longer than you know. You could say that he started at the age of four, when his mom caught him in front of the television swinging a meat cleaver while watching Chef Tell. A few years later, his culinary curiosity almost cost him a finger when he decided the best way to carve a pumpkin was with the largest knife he could find. Despite the incident, Duff found his calling and has never turned back.

Charming Baltimore with Cakes

After graduating from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with degrees in history and philosophy, he went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California. He worked at several acclaimed culinary destinations, including the French Laundry, the Vail Cascade Hotel, and Todd English's Olives before returning to Baltimore in 2000, where he quit his day job and opened Charm City Cakes.

In 2006, Food Network tapped Duff and his fellow artists at the bakery to star in Ace of Cakes. After six years and ten seasons, the show is still wildly popular not only in reruns but also in over 40 countries worldwide. Duff currently stars in Food Network’s Sugar High and has been featured in episodes of The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Iron Chef America, The Next Food Network Star, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Chefs vs. City, Cupcake Wars, and Chopped.

Duff Meets GODIVA

We were first introduced to Duff through our partnership with food festivals and events. When Duff hosted our SWEET event at the 2010 NYC Wine and Food Festival, the premier dessert event of the festival, he and Godiva’s Chefs had an immediate connection over chocolate.

Eager to collaborate, it wasn’t long before Godiva Executive Chef Thierry Muret and Duff were together in our kitchens putting a decidedly Duff twist on our classic truffle-making techniques. The result was beyond our wildest dreams.

Our Cake Truffles Collection, new in September 2012, features four whimsical truffles inspired by Duff’s favorite cake recipes. Duff fans and Godiva enthusiasts alike are sure to love this limited edition collection. We’re especially proud of it because the collection showcases Godiva’s innovative spirit and our passion for the chocolate culinary arts.

Making L.A. Sweeter

Duff continues to flex his entrepreneurial muscle while staying true to his artistic roots. He has baking-inspired lines with Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Gartner Studios, and DecoPac, Inc. to name a few. Duff is also a graffiti artist, metal sculptor and musician. In the Spring of 2011, he packed up the combined talent and knowledge he gained in over 10 years in business, loaded up his trucks, and headed to Los Angeles to open up his west coast bakery expansion: Charm City Cakes West.

“The transformation of cakes from a little bakery in Baltimore into Godiva Truffles that capture so many flavors is incredible. This collaboration pushed the bounds and made Godiva incredibly human for me, which is really cool.” – Chef Duff Goldman