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closeWauna caterer recognized as Washington’s top five
Susan Schell
of the Gateway
It was just a matter of time before Kelly Hooper owned her own catering and specialty wedding cake-making business.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 12,” the British-born chef said. “When I was 4, I was making homemade macaroni and cheese.”
Hooper opened her own kitchen and cake-making business in Wauna about a year ago, dubbing herself “The Kaketress.”
Her talents have not gone unnoticed. Her creations recently took fifth place in King 5 TV’s category of “Best Cakes in Western Washington.”
And considering Hooper’s background, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. She started out in a bakery south of London “peeling apples and breaking eggs,” she said, going through a full apprenticeship.
“I was trained by an Italian husband and a German wife in England,” she recalled with a laugh.
“I was the only one who could speak English. We’d make all our own pastries and dipping chocolate.”
Hooper brought the English countryside mentality with her when she moved to Washington. She uses all organic ingredients in her business.
After she worked for other people in the restaurant business and created wedding cakes for years, Hooper acquired the land and space to start her business in Wauna.
“I always wanted a place of my own,” she said. “I got the place and finished about a year ago. It’s a studio environment, because it requires a lot of concentration.”
Hooper’s busiest season for cakes is during the summer, but she spends the rest of the year booking and creating specialty dishes for holiday parties. She can create elaborate ornamental creations from fruit and vegetables, and she can fashion a cake into almost anything.
That’s her favorite part of the business — variety.
“Once I made a New Year’s cake that looked like a firecracker,” Hooper said. “Every cake’s different.”
Hooper said the inside of a cake is just as important as the outside.
“I make all the filling with real fruit, real eggs and real butter,” she said. “It’s got to taste good. I want everything to be fresh.”
Hooper said business is doing well, despite the economy.
“I picked a fine time to start a business,” she joked.
“But everyone I meet and do business with is in a good mood. They’re happy because they’re planning their wedding.”
And even during hard times, people still get married. Hooper said she gets calls from areas like Bellevue because they want to get away from the city for their special day.
“A lot of people want to get close to nature on their wedding day,” Hooper said. “We have lovely little venues here for weddings, like Trophy Lake, Gold Mountain and Kensington Gardens.”
Hooper said a trend she’s noticed with wedding cakes is a request for stacked cakes — those with pieces stacked on top of one another — as opposed to traditional tiered cakes, which are supported by columns between layers.
Some clients are very specific about what they want; others have a general idea and allow the chef to be creative.
“I ask a lot of questions,” Hooper said. “I need to know what the atmosphere is, whether it’s formal, or if there’s a theme, and what the color scheme is.”
Hooper revels in the challenge of making creations. She recalled making a cake that stood 5 feet tall.
Hooper’s business is divided into two facets — a sweet side and a savory side. The wedding cakes, gourmet European confections, buffets and receptions fall under the name “TortesnTarts.”
Kaskade Katering offers a full compliment of gourmet catering services, featuring a Texan barbecue trailer, on-site homemade sauces and mustards, or a Hawaiian barbecue and a full menu of international dishes that include Mediterranean, northern European, Indian or Asian.
“I’m trained for everything,” Hooper said.
‘The Kaketress’
Kelly Hooper dishes up goodies for the sweet tooth as well as savory delights for the distinguished pallet. For more information, call Hooper, “The Kaketress,” at 253-857-5425, or visit www.tortesntarts.com.