Do you find yourself living “outside the box” or conforming mostly to society’s stereotypes? My guest today, Allison Robicelli shares her story of becoming an accidental baker, a cancer survivor, and an unapologetic lover of carrot cake, chocolate pie and of course cupcakes!
Allison Robicelli is a baker, TV personality, and author of the critically-acclaimed cookbook memoir, Robicelli’s: A Love Story with Cupcakes, which has been called one of the funniest food-related books of all time. Nominated for a James Beard Award for her piece, In Sickness, In Health, In White Castle, you may also know Allison from such places as Food 52, Eater, Food Network, VH1, and many other quirky corners of the internet.
In this episode, Allison shares how she became “The Cupcake Queen,” alongside unapologetically hilarious stories about the Robicelli’s courtship, growing up in Brooklyn, and how she and her husband survive working together from the Stock Market Crash of 2008 and Hurricane Sandy to raising two kids. Hers is a delicious story of a family saved by a love of sweets.
Accidental Baker, Cancer Survivor, and Entrepreneur
Allison’s foray into baking came by accident at age 14, when she baked a cake for a male friend who thought her tomboy-self wasn’t “girly enough” to bake. Out of spite, she proved him wrong. Later, she went to college and was hit with stage 4 lymphatic cancer that had metastasized into her bone marrow. She had tests and chemo and ended up staying inside for a year to prevent infection. She was bald and bloated but thought she might as well learn something while being confined, so she read cookbooks and taught herself to bake. Coupled with watching Food Network and PBS, she felt that cooking combined all her interests AND appealed to her inherent entrepreneurial spirit. “Food is storytelling. I can do this for 1000 years and still only know half of what’s out there.” The good news is that she beat cancer and has 15 clean years under her belt.
The Perfect Partnership
Allison loved her single life and thought relationships were “suffocating,” that is, until she met Matt one night at a bar. He was a cook and they instantly “hit it off together,” with their conversation around all things food. They went back to her place for some rowdy fun—reading cookbooks together—and they haven’t looked back. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage just a few months later, and they are already celebrating 13 years together. Allison says she has never been so connected to anyone and that they “make each other better.” They opened a gourmet and sandwich shop in 2008, had two sons, weathered the stock market crash of 2008, and now have written their book together, which includes recipes but is mostly a memoir of the lessons they have learned.
“Us Against the World”
How do they make it work? They have a business, a family, and a book together—with a second book coming soon! Allison says Matt is her best friend, and to make it work, it takes a commitment of “us against the world.” The stock market crash sent them into a tailspin, and even though they lived paycheck to paycheck, they ended up losing their business and going bankrupt. This is about the time that cupcakes came into the picture, so you’ll want to listen to the show to hear Allison’s take on the beloved cupcake. Through the ups and downs, Allison learned that many variables in life are not under your control, so you have to be a little insane and have some hustle to keep your head above water.
NOT following the rules
Allison Robicelli admits that she doesn’t fit the “mom mold.” She’s even been tagged as “vulgar and inappropriate,” which really makes her laugh. She embraces being “the broad from south Brooklyn with the mouth of a truck driver,” and has found difficulty competing for her space in a world dominated by men, but she refuses to apologize for the things she’s worked hard to achieve.
Bitten by the Writing Bug
Despite her accomplishments and those who follow her career—and her Twitter feed, Allison needed to do more to support her family financially when her husband became very sick at the same time they relocated their shop to Baltimore. She started writing on food websites and blogs, using her colorful, warm, and transparent writing style. To the horror of some, she writes like she speaks, but says she has to be herself because she is terrible at trying to be anyone else.
Why writing recipes is harder than you think
Think about all the people who try to read recipes and cook who HAVEN’T GOT A CLUE. Allison’s recipe-writing style is super-granular, accounting for those of us who need it spelled out detail by detail. She even includes instructions for what to do when you screw up a recipe because we all know that happens more often than we like to admit. “You don’t get good at anything unless you fail,” she says. Tune in to the show to hear Allison’s “Emergency Cake Principle,” which can help us all treat ourselves like a special guest.
Episode Highlights:
- 1:43 — Allison’s humble culinary beginnings
- 5:51 — From mom and pop to James Beard Award-nominated food writer and cupcake power couple
- 8:59 — Marriage means sticking together like marshmallows
- 9:56 — The stock market crash, losing the business, and being terrified
- 13:09 — What keeps Allison going and brings accolades for her carrot cake, chocolate pie, and cookies!
- 15:26 — Why your most-important job is your family
- 17:52 — Being yourself, no matter what – like Cardi B
- 23:11 — Backlash for success and Allison’s major accomplishments
- 27:28— How she found her hilarious and irreverent voice as a writer
- 29:30 — The basics and pitfalls in recipe following
- 32:11 — What exactly is “Emergency Cake” anyway?
- 35:21 — Allison doesn’t sugar-coat her life or the food industry
Resources:
- www.robicellis.com
- Robicelli’s: A Love Story with Cupcakes by Allison Robicelli
The Fem Five
1. Favorite book for women?
- His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
2. Favorite self-care hack?
- “Sitting in the car after parking at home but not going inside. Also, smoking at night while watching dark TV or movies.”
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
- “There are too many of these to narrow it down.”
4. Female CEO or thought leader you’re into right now?
- Pioneering female chefs and food writers, Amanda Cohen, Nicole Ponseca, Barbara Lynch, and Helen Rosner
5. One piece of advice you’d give your 5 years younger self?
- “You are so stupid. Keep learning and being you and being excited about stuff. Don’t quit.”
Last Time on The NextFem Podcast
How to Build a Passionate Career Without Burnout with Laurie Sedgwick
Subscribe to the show on iTunes (Android here).
Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who took the time to write a review on iTunes! If you write a review this week, send a screenshot to [email protected] and we’ll give you a shout-out!
