story by KALEA MARTIN
She’s the first-born daughter of the Cake Boss himself, but make no mistake, Sofia Valastro is carving out her own slice of the culinary world and proving that hustle, heart, and a little powdered sugar go a long way.
A Boss in Her Own Right
Sofia holds a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Business Management from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, and received the school’s Outstanding Aramark Scholars Award upon graduating. While juggling classes, she also clocked in long hours at Vita Nova, the university’s on-campus, student-run fine dining restaurant.
Born Into the Biz
If you grew up watching Cake Boss, you already know the Valastro kids were in it from day one. Fans will remember little Sofia, barely eleven, whipping up cake pops and ice cream cone cupcakes totally solo (okay, fine, Lisa helped put the tray in the oven). Clearly, it wasn’t just for the cameras.
Now Sofia’s not just tagging along anymore, she’s stepping up. Instead of lounging all summer, during college break, Sofia spent time grinding at the factory. “I wanna really show my dad that I can be of use to help everyone,” she said in an episode of A&E reality show Cake Dynasty. And Buddy’s all for it too. “Working with Sofia — it touches my heart,” Buddy says. “It reminds me of the days of me and my dad working side by side on a bench rolling pasticciotti.”
From Family Legacy to Fresh Ventures
Sofia co-owns Buddy’s Jersey Eats, the family’s Las Vegas-based food truck, and even had her hand in designing the menu and logo, testing recipes, and setting prices.
And while some might still see her as the “boss’s daughter,” Sofia is already earned her stripes in the fine-dining scene. Before graduating college, she had already dipped her toe in French dining, working under Restaurant DANIEL, the Centurion Lounge, Le Pavillon, Le Gratin, and Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Box Cafe.
But Can She Cook?
Her brothers may say otherwise, but Sofia most definitely knows her way around the kitchen. In a sandwich cook-off between Sofia and Buddy Jr. (season 1, episode 3 of “Cake Dynasty”), their brother Marco insists Sofia can’t cook, but her winning sandwich tells a different story. Sofia says she cooks every night, whether it be for friends, family, or sorority sisters. Just peep her TikTok, where you’ll catch her whipping up dishes like chicken fajitas and pasta Bolognese (recipe ahead).
This or That with Sofia Valastro
Click to Watch
Shopping Online or In Store
“It depends on what I’m shopping for. If I’m shopping for jeans, then I’m gonna go to the store and try them on because jeans fit differently. If it’s like makeup brands or products, then I just do it online and get it shipped to my door.”
Threaded or Waxed
“I get threaded on my eyebrows. Everyone always asks me, but I always do get threaded. Waxing — I just have really sensitive skin and it just pulls the skin for me.”
Morning or Night
“I am a morning person. I am not a night owl whatsoever. I truly wake up in the morning, I do what I have to do, and then I am sleeping by, I would say, 10:30pm.”
Coffee or Tea
“I don’t drink any caffeinated stuff. My go to order, like drink, is a hot chocolate from Dunkin.”
Go Out or Stay In
“Stay in, a thousand percent. A thousand percent. I am always one to want to stay in and stay on the couch in my sweatpants and a t-shirt.”
Dress Up or Dress Down
“Dress down.”
Taylor Ham or Pork Roll
“Plain or everything bagel, toasted and scooped out with Taylor ham, egg, and cheese — and I do say Taylor ham. That means that I’m from North Jersey.”
Mommy’s Girl or Daddy’s Girl
“I do call my mom 95 percent of the time for things. If it’s cooking, if it’s cleaning-related, or if it’s just I want to talk to her, I do call my mom. I know my dad and mom are both busy at work, but I bug my mom more.”
Texting or Calling
“Calling. I hate texting with a passion. I’d rather call because if you wanna talk to me, then pick up the phone and talk to me.”
Start a New Show or Re-watch an Old Show
“Re-watch old shows, a thousand percent. I am re-watching Grey’s Anatomy for the third or fourth time right now — I’ve lost track.”
Music or Podcast
“Music. I am a music girly. I like to put my music on and jam out while I drive.”
Apple Music or Spotify
“I use Apple Music. I know my dad uses Spotify, and there’s a reason I don’t use Spotify. It’s because if he’s playing his music, and I’m trying to play my music, somehow the accounts have intertwined, and my music plays where he’s playing, and he doesn’t want to listen to my music.”
Cocktails or Wine
“I’m not a big drinker, but when I do, I do a vodka soda with lime juice when I’m out, or a glass of wine when I’m home… I like the taste of both, but I like wine.”
Red or White
“Honestly, I usually am a rosé girly, but recently I’ve been liking the reds.”
Mom’s Cooking or Dad’s Cooking
“I like both of their cooking, and each of them makes a different dish that I prefer over the other, but if I had to say, I cook like my mom, and I cook recipes like my mom — like simple, easy, that gets the job done, one pan.”
Clean as You Go or Clean After
“My dad — he cooks great, he’s an amazing cook — but the kitchen looks like a bomb exploded after he’s done cooking. I like to clean as I go, and when I cook with him it’s overwhelming because we do everything [without stopping to clean].”
Sofia Valastro’s Pasta Bolognese Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 onion
- 2 large carrots
- 2-3 celery stalks
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¾ to 1 pound ground beef
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 jar of tomato sauce (homemade, if possible)
- Red wine
- Water
- 1 box of pasta (Sofia prefers Barilla Fettucine)
Directions:
- Chop and puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Set pan to medium heat and coat bottom with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Add ground beef and add more salt, cook until beef is browned 15-20 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, cook for 5 minutes.
- Add a splash of red wine, cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add water until 1 inch above meat.
- As water evaporates, add more.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Put pasta in pot with water to boil.
- Combine when finished.
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