Do you feel that your experiences growing up on the islands influence your approach to work, both professionally and creatively?

I am going to give it try… what do I have to lose? I always have my law degree to fall back on.’ Everything worked out and here we are talking today.įloral Artistry Fondant Wedding Cake – via Eventually, I became excited and thought, ‘Maybe I can make baking cakes more viable. It actually began as occupational therapy, a way of dealing with stress. While clerking after graduating from law school, I started making cakes in my apartment for my colleagues to celebrate a special occasion. What motivated your decision?īy accident, I realized that I had a passion for baking and being creative. To the outsider, this seems like a major pivot in career path. Here, Jay talks about his decision to quit his career in law and become a pastry chef, how growing up in Hawaii imparts his approach to business and life, the thrill of a ‘challenge,’ and how he stays creatively inspired.Īfter receiving a law degree from Columbia University, you went on to train at The Culinary Institute. He was doing something right at his small bakery, all those years ago, to make that woman think he was qualified to make her wedding cake after all. Talking by phone in early April, Jay led many of his responses with “It was by accident…” But as the interview went on and we learned about Jay’s story and approach to work and life, we started to get a sense that he was taking steps, whether intentionally or unintentionally, that would guide him down this career path. For these reasons and more, we couldn’t wait to interview Jay for our Industry Influencer series. We’ve been fortunate to see Lulu Cake Boutique’s masterpieces in person, serving as the sweet punctuation mark on a handful of Real BB weddings. Headed by a dynamic team of bakers and designers with resumes that list Per Se, JoJo, and Auquavit, the award-winning bakery is sought after by couples who want their big day dessert to make a statement in style and taste. Today, Jay is chef and partner of Lulu Cake Boutique in Scarsdale, NY. Then one afternoon, a customer walked in and asked him to make a cake for her wedding. Cake wasn’t going to be a mainstay on the menu. “I just wanted to make muffins,” he says looking back. When Jay Muse graduated from culinary school, he did what every aspiring pastry chef dreams about – he opened up a specialty bakery in New York City.

Lulu bakery