Duff helps kids find artistry in cupcake creations

Celebrity pastry chef Duff Goldman admits to being a kid at heart, and it didn’t take long for the child in him to come out and play with the hundreds of kids who showed up for the game.

The Charm City Cakes baker, who became a household name with his “Ace of Cakes” series on Food Network TV, jumped eagerly into a crowd of tables lined with kids to decorate cupcakes at the Keiki in the Kitchen event Sunday, part of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival. “I’m going to walk around and try to decorate with every single one of you!” he promised.

His two midday sessions overflowed with at least 850 adoring fans and their parents at Bishop Museum. Goldman is a judge on Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship” and “Spring Baking Championship,” and co-hosts “Kids Baking Championship” with Valerie Bertinelli.

Goldman was the headliner along with TV personality Adam Richman; they were joined by 32 celebrity chefs. Kids also took part in cooking classes, a cooking contest and fitness activities, and had the chance to talk to several Hokule‘a canoe voyagers.

As easygoing and friendly as he seems on TV, Goldman dished out the praise, encouragement and high-fives, and was quick to laugh. And the kids ate it up — you could see it on their faces.

They paid close attention to TV screens showing close-ups of Goldman demonstrating how to draw a fish with a bag of frosting and use a green Life Saver for its eye, or dust a daisy with yellow sprinkles. “It’s just like drawing a picture! … Wow! That’s so cool, right?”

Parents were asked in advance not to try to engage Goldman with questions, as his intent was to focus on the kids. And he did give them plenty of attention and praise.

“That’s perfect! You should be a pastry chef,” he told Nikko Stack, whose cupcake was rimmed meticulously with little blue dots, surrounding a palm tree in pink and yellow. The 10-year-old said she’s a faithful viewer of Goldman’s show “Kids Baking” and wants to become a baker or an artist, adding, “He’s inspirational to me.”

Goldman also complimented Chase Lau, 5, whose abstract cupcake design was neatly executed and color-coordinated. Karly Lau said her son watches all the “Ace of Cakes” reruns with her. She brought him to the event because her son “likes to do creative things” with Legos, and she thought he would enjoy channeling that creativity into cupcakes.

One boy confided he wanted to audition for “Kids Baking,” and Goldman encouraged him to have his parents sign him up on foodnetwork.com: “You get to hang out with me for like three weeks, and all we do is bake. It’s super fun, and you make all these cool friends.”

Christina Tomoso admitted she brought her kids because she’s a big Duff fan herself. Her sons Jaxon and Jaiden (3 and 5, respectively) were a bit too young to understand who Goldman was, and just wanted to eat the cupcakes.

Tomoso said they like to help her cook, especially decorating pancakes, and she’s even bought them some kids’ chef knives. “This is fun but a little chaotic,” she added.

Goldman admired the artwork of frosting and candy garnishes of one little girl, who beamed when he said, “That is a really nice rose. I think we have a chef over here!”

Allie McKenzie, 8, asked to see the waffle tattoo that Goldman had promised to get if the “waffle team” on “Kids Baking Championship” won, and was thrilled when he happily rolled up his shirt sleeve and spent a few minutes bantering.

Goldman said he personally liked decorating cupcakes because you’re allowed to get frosting all over your mouth.

“You did great!” he told one child whose teeth were blue with frosting. “You go to town and eat that cupcake! Your teeth are the same color as your shirt.”