Bellmore's Own Ace of Cakes

Through reality TV, designer cakes have become all the rage. With his new bakery, The Cake Gallery, Bellmore resident Thomas Shipley has shown all the sugar, spice, style and substance to be a star. But he knows better than to put himself before his product.

"[The Cake Gallery's] mission is to make unique, delicious and imaginative dessert and party cakes created in an open, state of the art kitchen offering friendly service and ease of ordering directly with the chef. The Cake Gallery is founded on great cakes at reasonable prices."

In a hot new vocation where the next catchy gimmick or the bright lights of cable TV are temptations as a devilish dessert itself, Shipley has resisted; instead relying on qualities that make for true long term success - experience, practice and dedication to his craft.

But like any entrepreneur who finds his calling and creative (culinary) bliss, Shipley's road was full of twists and turns, stops and starts.

"I grew up in West Hempstead and only briefly lived off the Island in Westchester for a few years," he said. "I began working at Riesterer's Bakery in West Hempstead as a clean up kid when I was 17. I learned all of my basics from that job. I worked about 25 years at that shop (not in a row). I earned a degree in education from C.W. Post College in Health and Physical education. I was unable to land a teaching job on Long Island, so I continued to bake. I was in a rock and roll band for a few years while I baked in the daytime. I got out of the bakery business for two years to work with troubled teenage boys as a care counselor. I went back to baking in 1984 and have been doing that since."

Then, as now, there were no shortcuts for Shipley.

"The boss noticed that I had the talent and, most of all, the patience to make specialty cake," he said. "Back then, no one used rolled fondant and most of the fancier techniques were only done in Europe. I always took pride in making something unique for the customers. I never took a lesson. I blazed my own trail."

While his recipe for success is old school, Shipley's marketing model is anything but. Fully aware of the craze surrounding his craft, Shipley has created something new from something traditional, a nearly interactive professional bakery.

"Our shop is wide open so that the customers meet with me every time they come in and can watch the cakes being made," he said. "We have our own live cake show! Hopefully (moving forward) we will be able to employ a staff of very talented bakers and cake artists that can expand our concept of exceptional service and quality."

Blending old with new and edgy with traditional has put Shipley at the top of his game and has afforded him some interesting opportunities.

"I worked with a team on Disney World's anniversary cake in 1986 that was an exact replica of the Cinderella Castle in sugar on a cake about half the size of a basketball court," he said. "Each cake is very special to me, and each has its own degree of coolness."

Or in a worst case, its own dreaded hotness. Witness this story of three tier disaster as told by Shipley with his signature blend of honesty, humor and humility.

"Bad things can happen to cake in transport (especially when an inexperienced driver drives with them)," he began. "When I was a kid, I delivered a cake (not one that I made) about two hours late to a wedding on a very hot day. There was a mixup between two similiar last names. The father of the bride was waiting outside the hall, tapping his foot. I carried the cake into the room where everyone was waiting for the cake cutting with forks in hand. The icing dropped off one whole side of the cake and plopped on the floor as I carried it in. I had some extra icing to cover the bare side and turned the good side for the photos. They got their money back."

Even then, Shipley was quick with his feet, his hands and his head. In the world of high stakes designer cakes, where delivering greatness to everyday paying customers is the yardstick, that's what makes a star.

To see Thomas Shipley in action or to order one of his original masterpieces for your special occasion, visit his North Bellmore store or his Web site.