The Truth About Duff Goldman's Rock Star Background
Duff Goldman is more than just a rock star baker, he's also a musical rock star too – well, kinda. The restaurant industry has always had a sort of symbiosis with music and the arts. The flexible and non-traditional schedules of food and beverage work allow many up-and-coming artists to balance their time between practical and passion, earning a regular wage while also pursuing their creative hobbies. That's actually how "Ace of Cakes started," says Goldman. "That's the way the bakery was built—it was a bunch of dudes in rock and jazz bands who wanted to pursue a rock career," he says. "We weren't trying to be good on television; we were trying to be good in bands" (via Delish).
And yes – Goldman can actually play. The cake artist plays bass guitar and was in an emo band called Two-Day Romance. He played a showcase for Linkin Park and tried out for a band in Seattle. If you look hard enough, you can even find some stickers from his old gig on social media, circa 2001 (via Twitter).
And while clearly, Goldman's true talents lie in cake baking, he hasn't necessarily given up the music. Meet Foie Grock, the foodie band you never knew you needed to hear.
Foie will, Foie will, Grock you
Yes, you read that correctly – Foie Grock, not foie gras. In 2015 Duff Goldman and fellow foodie Bruce Kalman opened the restaurant Knead and Co Pasta Bar and thought it could use some entertainment. Thus was born "L.A.'s Self-Proclaimed #1 Chef-Led Alternative Rock Cover Band" (via L.A. Mag). Why the name, you ask? Kalman explains, "We tossed around a lot of names. Bread Zeppelin. Meatshop Boys. A Flock of Meatballs. Oreo Speedwagon. Limp Brisket." Clearly, this musical combo has a sense of humor.
But do food and music pair well? Goldman definitely thinks they do. He describes his bass playing as the seasoning to a song. "The bass brings all the other sounds together. The bass is bridge between rhythm and harmony. It's the midway point between the drums and the guitar," says Goldman. "The bass and the drums make the meat of the dish taste meaty, the guitar gives it the FLAVOR."
And while Foie Grock was short-lived, Goldman's rock star status remains solid in the food world. The truth is, it makes us smile. The smiles may keep on coming in Goldman's upcoming series, "Duff's Happy Fun Bake Time!" which premieres on April 29 on discovery+.