They've conjured up cakes for Madiba, Oprah and Archbishop Tutu and now they're starring in their own show:
Headliners: Jacqui Biess (centre)(owner of Charly's), her daughters Alex and Dani (to the right) and Roche Schollij on the left (bestie to Dani and now adopted into the family and business).
Charly's Cake Angels premiered on SABC3 this past Saturday (1 October) at 16h00 and it's a trip into a fantasy world - that happens to be real.
In case you missed it: it's a docu-reality series set at Charly's Bakery in downtown Cape Town. The bakery's become such a popular landmark that it's exploding with people and stories.
The first episode introduced everyone and followed them as they filmed the show's opening credits. The episode wrapped with everyone watching the sequence which it tells the story behind the bakery and introduces the lead characters. This is it:
On Wednesday afternoon I hotfooted through to visit them to taste what's what. The result:
I scored stacks of cake and a cappacino moustache. This particular chomper's called a "Moussey Wah Wah". Chocolate and almond on the outside with a mousse surprise when you bite.
This one I haven't sampled yet. I'm saving it for the weekend so I've got proper time to eat it slooooowly:
Ha.
Jacqui and the crew had just finished creating a cake for Archbishop Tutu's 80th birthday. It was delivered already when I went through but they took this pic before:
The cake the Dalai Lama didn't get to taste.
(Click the pic for a max version so you can see the details).
Madiba's 92nd birthday cake. (Click pic for more size)
Jacqui with Madiba's pic that was on the cake. It's stored high up, safely in the shop.
Oprah snapped on the day.
Jaqcui: Oprah came out here about five or six years ago to do with her school and Jane Raphaely pulled up outside our bakery when we were in Roland Street.
She says: "This is totally hush-hush - Oprah's coming to our offices at 15h30 this afternoon - I need a high tea for 120 people." So first I completely shat myself and then I said: "Yes, sure." Everyone just came to help me ... all of my friends came with beautiful cake stands and berries to decorate and fresh flowers.
It was a Friday - we set up at 15h00 - we still had a wedding cake to deliver to Stellenbosch afterwards and I was hiding in the corner in my dirty apron, just hoping to see Oprah because I didn't even know if I was allowed to be there and Jane calls me up to meet Oprah.
Her whole "O" staff was there, no-one gets called up but I was called up and I nearly died - rubbish came out of my mouth. I was so ridiculous. I respect her so much - what she's done for women wordwide is just unbelievable.
I've learnt a lot of my life lessons from her ... I think one of the main things was when I turned 40 I started to feel that life was like over and that I hadn't managed to achieve my life goals and that maybe I wouldn't now. As I got closer to 50 I realised I can actually do anything. I think I learnt that by watching how she grew towards her 50th birthday.
Proof that dudes are secretly hott for weddings: Jaqcui with Life Moitsemang and Presley Hlahleni who specialise in wedding cake's. They bake the structures and booty of the cakes ...
The booty gets made downstairs and the cakes get dressed upstairs:
Kgosto Hoye and Vuyani Ndumisa who create decorative details.
Flash fact: The show should be on in a primetime slot. Thursdays or Wednesdays at 18h30 or Tuesdays at 20h30. Anytime between 18h30 and 20h30 would be cool.
How's this ...
... a Louis Vuitton out of icing.
A guy delivered his girlfriend's shoe and asked for it to be recreated on her birthday cake. It's gonna have a matching bag to go with it.
Creator of it: Jenny Nel - she doesn't appear on the show yet - she arrives in episode 5.
Head honcho of all the cakes: Francis. Her passion started when she created her own wedding cake. Now she's training people to take over from her so she can retire.
Marifilwe Modibedi: right hand cake honcho to Francis. The two are tight and covered in deadlines.
Khanyi Mbau's order for her next birthday cake. Hehe ... dunno if it was a guy or gal who ordered it but my guess is guy.
Where all the cakes congregate to partay before being sold.
This week's second episode's gonna show the gang tackling the biggest cake they've ever made. It includes the gals going for tattoo's.
Alex's reads: "Be who you are and say what you feel." High fives to that!
When you're in the Mudda City I'd highly recommend you pop through to experience it for yourself. The address: 38 Canterbury Street. It's a magical place where you don't know what could happen. You could even meet your namesake as I did: