Meet Jose Barajas | Pastry Chef, Baker, Cake Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jose Barajas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jose, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It always has been being true to myself. A lot of people who have businesses like mine tend to want to cater to what everyone wants. Yes, it is important to cater to customers since this is a huge part of the business, but trying to please everyone leads to failure most of the time. Staying true to your vision and what you like to make is important to create amazing products. Once you commit to that, the thought process becomes so much easier and your creativity goes wild.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Baker, Pastry Chef, Cake Decorator and also work in Culinary Production for baking shows.

My influence was my mother as she was a cake decorator before I was born.

I started my career working at Standlee’s, a cake supply shop in Chula Vista while working at a wholesale bakery in La Mesa as a pastry sous chef as well as working from home making custom cakes.

In 2014 I did my first televised cake competition, The Next Great Baker and after that ended up doing 5 more competitions. (Cake Wars, Cake Off, Winner Cake All, Holiday Gingerbread Showdown, Food Network Challenge)

From their my home business start soaring and I also ended up working behind the scene on baking show in the Culinary Department on shows such as: Sugar Rush, Baketopia, Baking It, Bakers Dozen, Nailed It, Is It Cake. I also guest judged on Chopped Sweets and Buddy vs. Duff.

It wasn’t (and still isnt easy) to overcome challenges as theirs always new ones as I enjoy pushing myself to newer and greater things. Luckily now I have a team that I teach so they can grow and be able to manage the bakery at times that i have to be gone and help with more show production.

The lessons that I learned along the way is to just keep growing and keep staying true to yourself. What I want the world to know about me and my brand is that it is always a signature of myself and that everything I do and have done is a reflection of myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to eat. Im a big foodie. Favorite places would be the Rancheros food truck by the 805 freeway entrance off of Telegraph Canyon in Chula Vista. The Balboa South, El Cruce, Casa Nori are also some of my personal favorite Chula Vista local eateries.

Outside of my city I love Blue Boheme, Soichi Sushi, Born and Raised, Tajima, Huntress among many other places.
Im a HUGE fan of eating alone. You meet so many exciting new people. Highly recommend if the restaurant has a bar where you can eat, do it!

For drinks I enjoy a good time at Number 1 on 5th in Hillcrest

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents. For always supporting me with any crazy idea I had. If it wasn’t for them this bakery or career would have never existed for me.

Website: www.mmmcakessd.com

Instagram: @mmmcakesbyjosebarajas

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mmmcakessd