Yes, cupcakes are a part of my life. It's not something I like to admit. It seems when everyone finds out I am a pastry chef, one of the first comments is, "Oh, so you make cupcakes?." An innocent question, but one that I find irritating. I would never call myself a chef if all I did was make cupcakes. That all encompassing title means that you should know and be able to execute so much more. As a pastry chef in charge of a restaurant menu, cafe menu, and catering, I need to know ice creams, breads, cakes, and pastries in all its forms and intricacies. This on top of management, basic food knowledge, setting a good example, and working in a kitchen setting. I love a good cupcake, but I would never want anyone to think that all I do is bake cupcakes all day. Yet, a good cupcake hits the spot, and a perfectly executed cake and frosting ratio says more about a pastry chef than a resume ever could. Pictured are red velvet cupcakes, white chocolate and cream cheese frosting, topped with meringue and hollyhocks.