It all started with a meatball.
I have a distinct memory of making meatballs with my mom when I was four years old and thinking, “WOW, I can lick my fingers as much as I want and call it ‘tasting’ without getting in trouble? I’m in!” And so my love of the kitchen began.
Hi, I’m Avner. I’m 12, and I’m a baker.
I am entirely self-taught, learning through YouTube, cookbooks and found recipes. I especially love to make cakes (imposters are my faves), treats for friends (on special occasions, or just because) and desserts for a great cause (like Living Beyond Breast Cancer). About a year ago, Food Network saw a cake I posted on Instagram and cast me on Season 8 of Kids Baking Championship! I had the time of my life making super-fun challenges (Shag Cake anyone?), meeting other kids just like me (who are still great friends), and hanging out with Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman.
I really enjoy chilling out in the kitchen and working on a new challenge (um, did someone say 2-foot carrot cake??) while listening to Harry Potter on Alexa. My family is really supportive - mostly because there’s always something under the cake plate!
Before There Was Baking…
Before I discovered baking, I was designing and making clothes (mostly for my little sister and our cat) on a sewing machine I got for my seventh birthday. I also launched the original version of Gingee Says, featuring homemade, organic bath bombs, soaps, lotions and candles, which I sold at holiday craft shows and through Instagram. I think my parents were a little nervous I was going to blow up the house with some of my concoctions (remember the baking soda and Pepsi trick from science class?), so I eventually moved on to cooking, which I still love to do. I make pasta and macaroni and cheese from scratch, and I created a steak and broccoli stir-fry recipe my dad says he could eat every night! I also love to make my own sushi, and I often go back to the meatballs, where it all started.
My Sweet Spot
At some point during all of my chemistry experiments, baking just clicked (possibly after I tasted raw cookie dough). It quickly became a creative outlet, a place to experiment with color, taste and shapes and a way to interact with people around me through love of sweets and yummy food. Baking for me is relaxing. It is also scientific, which can be challenging at times — I have tossed a lot of macarons because of bad math! But mostly, it is an expression of, and outlet for, my creativity.
Other Flavors
Baking is my passion, but I have other interests too! One of my favorite times of the year is the summer, when I go to camp. I get to spend all day working on glass art, ceramics, woodworking, silkscreening and even animal care (they have pet llamas!). My camp friends are a lot like me, and we truly entertain each other.
In my spare time (what’s left of it), I love acting in the school play and spending way too much time on YouTube, and I still sometimes like to dress up my cat :)