June 2, 2023 • 9 mins
Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks with celebrity chef Kyle Cuffie-Scott, the owner of Darnel’s Cakes. His company started as a cupcake fundraiser in the Fall of 2015 for World AIDS Day and is now a thriving retail business. Darnel’s specializes in breakfast, lunch and desserts that are carefully crafted by Cuffie-Scott, and Joseph Lope. This project is all in honor of Kyle's late cousin Darnel Scott, who passed in January of 2013. One highlight for the business so far was to create a birthday cake for Janet Jackson when she was in Philly recently. https://www.darnelscakes.com/ Instagram: @ Facebook is facebook.com/darnelscakes
Also, Paralee Knight, Vice President & Sr. Social Impact & Sustainability Specialist Wells Fargo Philanthropy and Community Impact is the subject of Vanesse’s monthly feature “What is Philadelphia Reading?”
Also, Paralee Knight, Vice President & Sr. Social Impact & Sustainability Specialist Wells Fargo Philanthropy and Community Impact is the subject of Vanesse’s monthly feature “What is Philadelphia Reading?”
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering our community.
I'm Lorraine Ballardmorrow, and with usas she is once a month every month,
is the fabulous Vanesse Lloyd's Gumbody,the founder of the African American Children's
Bookfair, the Literary and is notonly a book expert an entertainment expert,
but it also a travel expert.Vanesse, how are you today? While
(00:22):
I'm happy to be here once againwith VS Journeys, you know it's June,
We're halfway there, and a lotof exciting things happening this month.
And I want to give a shoutout to the Free Library Foundation because I'm
being honored next week, and Ijust want to give a shout out to
all the other honorees, the joyfulReaders, the Philbroughs, the read to
(00:44):
Succeed Philadelphia and reading Aloud. I'mhappy to be a part of that group.
But you know, Juneteenth is comingup, I know, and it's
going to be a lot going on. Of course, we're doing a program
it's called Junene celebrating Literary and ArtisticFreedom, and it's going to be at
Antonia, Philadelphia on Saturday, Juneseventeen from one to three pm, and
(01:07):
we're gonna focus in on the developmentof literacy and some of the literary creators
in light of the fact there usedto be antiliteracy longs. You know,
you couldn't if you were black,you couldn't. Really, yes, you
weren't able to. You could getin trouble. But this morning I have
a really wonderful guess and his nameis Kyle Cuffy Scott, got it right
(01:29):
this morning, Welcome to the air. Thank you, thank you, thank
you for having me. Okay,when you became famous overnight, I shouldn't
say overnight, but you begged JanetJackson's cake. So we want we want
to know the story about that.But we also want to hear a little
bit about this organization. It's calledDarnel with specializes in breakfast, lunch and
desserts. And tell us first andforemost how this all came about. Well,
(01:53):
Darnel's got started. I'll right backin twenty sixteen, my cousin Darnell
unfortunately passed away due to AIDS complicationsand dealing with all that grief, I
decided to start a fundraiser and fromthere our shop got opened and we eventually
(02:15):
like made Janet Jackson's cake. Sowe've been here in Northern Liberties for about
three years now and we're baking ourlives away. Well, I understand from
our earlier conversation you are a trainedchef, yes, but you're not a
trained baker. Oh no, Iam a trained baker. I went to
Johnson and Wales for baking in pastryarts. And you also were in Paris,
(02:37):
one of my favorite cities, justbaking up a storm. Yeah so
yeah, I mean I've visited Paris, but I've never baked there. But
who knows. One day at money. But you also had another life.
You used to work and sales ata radio station here in Philadelphia. You
kind of like, you know,you start out in one way, you
try something else. This is whatI want people to hear this morning.
(02:57):
There are no dead in roads onthe Highway of life. But you know,
because we're always up against the clock. Here, tell me what was
it like meeting Janet Jackson and tellus about the cake. Oh my gosh,
I mean meeting Janet Jackson feels likea lifetime achievement, you know,
meeting her making her cake. Iwas in disbelief the whole time I was
(03:20):
making it. My good friend Stacyfly Girl, she hired me to make
her cake because she was having abirthday party in Philly. So you know,
I've known knew for about two weeksbefore the party that I was making
this cake, and I was goingback and forth in my head, like
what do I make? What doI make? And then I got some
insight from her team that she lovesberry flavored cake, so I was like,
(03:44):
of course, strawberry shortcake. Ibaked a two tier, three layers
in each tier of vanilla sponge,and it was filled with a strawberry custard
en cased and some cream cheese icing. I decorated the cake with some hydrated
strawberries that looked really nice on theside. Yeah, did she eat the
cake? Yes? Yes, SoI delivered the cake to the venue earlier
(04:10):
that day, and then at midnightat the party, quest Love was spending.
He made an announcement that it wasJane's birthday, and I brought out
the cake, the candles lit,set it down in front of her.
She blew out the candles and afterthat she she shook my hand and thanked
me for the cake, and Iwas just kind of in shock. I'm
(04:34):
sweating, why can mervous? Andthen I had to pick the cake back
up and cut it. So Icut the cake for her and her whole
team. They enjoyed it. Someof the dancers came back for seconds.
It was really a magical name.Okay, so you baked the cake for
Janet Jackson, you give your cardsto everybody there, I'm sure. So
(04:55):
what has it been like for youbeing the celebrity baker right now here in
Philip Delphia? Business is booming.We've got a lot of new business,
a lot of new customers coming in. We did feature the Janet Special,
so it's a rendition upper cake,a smaller version so folks can actually try
the cake that Jana Jackson had,and we're doing a lot more catering.
(05:20):
Folks are ordering birthday cakes left andright, like it's been really amazing.
So what do you say to someonewho is trying to figure out how to
start their own business? And we'realways, as I like to say,
up against the clock. What wouldyou suggest to somebody who wants to step
out on faith and create their ownbusiness because your business model isn't traditional business
(05:42):
model for someone who wants to openup a restaurant, a bakery and the
kind of business. And you're noteven from Philadelphia, you're from Boston.
Well, I came. I wentto Temple, so I've been here for
almost twenty years, so I thinkI'm a Philadelphia now. But where someone
starting out of business, I wouldsay, just do what you can.
Start small, practice your crap,do something that you actually like doing and
(06:08):
hopefully want to do over and overagain. But start stuffin We start small,
and you know, ask for advicefrom you know, mentors and anyone
you can to get advice from.So yeah, start small and get yourself
a mentor. And how can wefind you. You can find us here
at four four four North third Street. We're in the lobby of the building,
(06:28):
so there's a parking let in front. You come inside and we're right
here. Darnel's Cakes dot Com isour website where you can place pre orders.
We're on DoorDash, we deliver,and Paul paulis on Instagram Darnel's Cakes.
Well, I will definitely be therebecause I am a sugarholic. You
know, take away my sweets andyou have taken away by life. Thank
(06:49):
you so much. That is KyleKuffee, Scott, chef and owner of
Darnel's. Thank You, Thank You. We've come to the favorite part of
this program, and I have awonderful person on the air with me this
morning. Her name is paralle Nightand you probably have heard a voice because
(07:11):
she does wells Fargo's promotions and campaignand I just wanted to celebrate her because
she's involved with the Juneteenth promotion thatI'm doing Juneteenth celebrating literary freedom. Good
morning, Good morning. So wewant to get down to business. So
what is Philadelphia reading? What bookare you reading? The Profit by Khalil
Gibrain. First book you read,probably The Cat in the Head. Best
(07:33):
book you've read, The Celestine Prophecyby James Redfield. Worst book you've read.
I don't have one. Your goto author probably Malcolm Gladwell. Buyer
or borrower, definitely a buyer.What book should everyone have in their library?
The Power of Now by eckhartoll wThat sounds intellectual fiction or nonfiction?
(07:55):
Nonfiction? Self help? All day? You have a literary dinner named three
people from the literary community. Youmust have Jack Canfield, Harry McMillan and
Burnet Brown. If you wrote abook about your life, what would be
the title? God, Love andmusic sounds wonderful. Thank you so much,
and as always, folks continue toread, buy a book and have
(08:18):
a blessed day. Thank you.We'll have more insight after these messages.
(09:03):
Cree Cree CREWM.
Good morning, and welcome to Insight, a show about empowering our community.
I'm Lorraine Ballardmorrow, and with usas she is once a month every month,
is the fabulous Vanesse Lloyd's Gumbody,the founder of the African American Children's
Bookfair, the Literary and is notonly a book expert an entertainment expert,
but it also a travel expert.Vanesse, how are you today? While
(00:22):
I'm happy to be here once againwith VS Journeys, you know it's June,
We're halfway there, and a lotof exciting things happening this month.
And I want to give a shoutout to the Free Library Foundation because I'm
being honored next week, and Ijust want to give a shout out to
all the other honorees, the joyfulReaders, the Philbroughs, the read to
(00:44):
Succeed Philadelphia and reading Aloud. I'mhappy to be a part of that group.
But you know, Juneteenth is comingup, I know, and it's
going to be a lot going on. Of course, we're doing a program
it's called Junene celebrating Literary and ArtisticFreedom, and it's going to be at
Antonia, Philadelphia on Saturday, Juneseventeen from one to three pm, and
(01:07):
we're gonna focus in on the developmentof literacy and some of the literary creators
in light of the fact there usedto be antiliteracy longs. You know,
you couldn't if you were black,you couldn't. Really, yes, you
weren't able to. You could getin trouble. But this morning I have
a really wonderful guess and his nameis Kyle Cuffy Scott, got it right
(01:29):
this morning, Welcome to the air. Thank you, thank you, thank
you for having me. Okay,when you became famous overnight, I shouldn't
say overnight, but you begged JanetJackson's cake. So we want we want
to know the story about that.But we also want to hear a little
bit about this organization. It's calledDarnel with specializes in breakfast, lunch and
desserts. And tell us first andforemost how this all came about. Well,
(01:53):
Darnel's got started. I'll right backin twenty sixteen, my cousin Darnell
unfortunately passed away due to AIDS complicationsand dealing with all that grief, I
decided to start a fundraiser and fromthere our shop got opened and we eventually
(02:15):
like made Janet Jackson's cake. Sowe've been here in Northern Liberties for about
three years now and we're baking ourlives away. Well, I understand from
our earlier conversation you are a trainedchef, yes, but you're not a
trained baker. Oh no, Iam a trained baker. I went to
Johnson and Wales for baking in pastryarts. And you also were in Paris,
(02:37):
one of my favorite cities, justbaking up a storm. Yeah so
yeah, I mean I've visited Paris, but I've never baked there. But
who knows. One day at money. But you also had another life.
You used to work and sales ata radio station here in Philadelphia. You
kind of like, you know,you start out in one way, you
try something else. This is whatI want people to hear this morning.
(02:57):
There are no dead in roads onthe Highway of life. But you know,
because we're always up against the clock. Here, tell me what was
it like meeting Janet Jackson and tellus about the cake. Oh my gosh,
I mean meeting Janet Jackson feels likea lifetime achievement, you know,
meeting her making her cake. Iwas in disbelief the whole time I was
(03:20):
making it. My good friend Stacyfly Girl, she hired me to make
her cake because she was having abirthday party in Philly. So you know,
I've known knew for about two weeksbefore the party that I was making
this cake, and I was goingback and forth in my head, like
what do I make? What doI make? And then I got some
insight from her team that she lovesberry flavored cake, so I was like,
(03:44):
of course, strawberry shortcake. Ibaked a two tier, three layers
in each tier of vanilla sponge,and it was filled with a strawberry custard
en cased and some cream cheese icing. I decorated the cake with some hydrated
strawberries that looked really nice on theside. Yeah, did she eat the
cake? Yes? Yes, SoI delivered the cake to the venue earlier
(04:10):
that day, and then at midnightat the party, quest Love was spending.
He made an announcement that it wasJane's birthday, and I brought out
the cake, the candles lit,set it down in front of her.
She blew out the candles and afterthat she she shook my hand and thanked
me for the cake, and Iwas just kind of in shock. I'm
(04:34):
sweating, why can mervous? Andthen I had to pick the cake back
up and cut it. So Icut the cake for her and her whole
team. They enjoyed it. Someof the dancers came back for seconds.
It was really a magical name.Okay, so you baked the cake for
Janet Jackson, you give your cardsto everybody there, I'm sure. So
(04:55):
what has it been like for youbeing the celebrity baker right now here in
Philip Delphia? Business is booming.We've got a lot of new business,
a lot of new customers coming in. We did feature the Janet Special,
so it's a rendition upper cake,a smaller version so folks can actually try
the cake that Jana Jackson had,and we're doing a lot more catering.
(05:20):
Folks are ordering birthday cakes left andright, like it's been really amazing.
So what do you say to someonewho is trying to figure out how to
start their own business? And we'realways, as I like to say,
up against the clock. What wouldyou suggest to somebody who wants to step
out on faith and create their ownbusiness because your business model isn't traditional business
(05:42):
model for someone who wants to openup a restaurant, a bakery and the
kind of business. And you're noteven from Philadelphia, you're from Boston.
Well, I came. I wentto Temple, so I've been here for
almost twenty years, so I thinkI'm a Philadelphia now. But where someone
starting out of business, I wouldsay, just do what you can.
Start small, practice your crap,do something that you actually like doing and
(06:08):
hopefully want to do over and overagain. But start stuffin We start small,
and you know, ask for advicefrom you know, mentors and anyone
you can to get advice from.So yeah, start small and get yourself
a mentor. And how can wefind you. You can find us here
at four four four North third Street. We're in the lobby of the building,
(06:28):
so there's a parking let in front. You come inside and we're right
here. Darnel's Cakes dot Com isour website where you can place pre orders.
We're on DoorDash, we deliver,and Paul paulis on Instagram Darnel's Cakes.
Well, I will definitely be therebecause I am a sugarholic. You
know, take away my sweets andyou have taken away by life. Thank
(06:49):
you so much. That is KyleKuffee, Scott, chef and owner of
Darnel's. Thank You, Thank You. We've come to the favorite part of
this program, and I have awonderful person on the air with me this
morning. Her name is paralle Nightand you probably have heard a voice because
(07:11):
she does wells Fargo's promotions and campaignand I just wanted to celebrate her because
she's involved with the Juneteenth promotion thatI'm doing Juneteenth celebrating literary freedom. Good
morning, Good morning. So wewant to get down to business. So
what is Philadelphia reading? What bookare you reading? The Profit by Khalil
Gibrain. First book you read,probably The Cat in the Head. Best
(07:33):
book you've read, The Celestine Prophecyby James Redfield. Worst book you've read.
I don't have one. Your goto author probably Malcolm Gladwell. Buyer
or borrower, definitely a buyer.What book should everyone have in their library?
The Power of Now by eckhartoll wThat sounds intellectual fiction or nonfiction?
(07:55):
Nonfiction? Self help? All day? You have a literary dinner named three
people from the literary community. Youmust have Jack Canfield, Harry McMillan and
Burnet Brown. If you wrote abook about your life, what would be
the title? God, Love andmusic sounds wonderful. Thank you so much,
and as always, folks continue toread, buy a book and have
(08:18):
a blessed day. Thank you.We'll have more insight after these messages.
(09:03):
Cree Cree CREWM.
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