Love can come in all forms, and for Charles Farriér, owner of Crumble & Whisk, love means cheesecake. The Oakland native started his specialty cake business in 2013 with a passion for uplifting his community and providing high-quality cheesecakes, each a work of art, using fresh, local ingredients.
Charles perfected his classical French pastry techniques over the course of many years studying under esteemed black chefs and working as a chef in nontraditional settings such as trains and cruise ships. In 2013, he was selected as one of a few male entrepreneurs to participate in La Cocina’s prestigious incubator program, and since then has developed a devoted and growing following through Bay Area farmers markets.
We talked with Charles about how he got his start in the niche world of gourmet cheesecakes and what delicious treats he has in store for Valentine’s Day.