When Justin Ellen received a “random” direct message on Instagram asking if he would like to be section of a Netflix exhibit referred to as “Is It Cake?” — he thought it was “really sketchy.”
It was only when they reported there was an job interview that he recognized, “Okay, it’s legit,” reported the youngest contestant of the preferred baking show.
After a Zoom interview and a thirty day period of ready, Ellen — who was 18 at that time — was picked to take part.
It was extremely overpowering, he admitted.
“Since I was tremendous youthful … and I recognized I had to fly and continue to be in a resort by myself. Filming was a full month. I have never been away from my household for that long,” he instructed CNBC Make It.
Ellen even experienced to skip his higher school graduation for the show’s recording.
“Is It Cake?” is a baking contest, wherever cake artists produce edible replicas of day to day objects — such as sneakers and purses.
At very first glance, the 19-calendar year-aged did not look to have as a great deal encounter as the other contestants. The youthful baker only began developing hyper-practical cakes two many years back. 1 of his opponents started baking even just before Ellen was born.
Still, prior to appearing on Netflix, he was currently managing his have successful cake business, All the things Just Baked.
I recognized that I didn’t have to imagine modest. You will find so significantly you could do in the discipline … consider about each and every lane you could go into.
Justin Ellen
Owner, Every little thing Just Baked
“Past yr, we grossed $100,000 in profits,” reported Ellen, who is from New Jersey.
“With [the] Netflix [show] coming out, I’ve been acquiring like