Celebrity Gourmet Podcast

Hosted by Odette D'Aniello

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Nov 2025

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About the show

This is the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast where we feature top bakery and specialty food entrepreneurs from around the world and share stories and tips on how to create a successful life in the baking world.

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36 recent

November 12, 202536 min

[IDDBA] Feedback, Conflict Resolution & Well-Being for Bakery and Specialty Food Professionals

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… In the high-pressure baking and specialty foods industry, balancing creativity, collaboration, and communication can be a challenge. Teams often struggle to deliver constructive feedback without damaging morale, and unresolved conflicts can quickly erode trust and productivity. How can leaders create a psychologically safe environment where feedback fuels growth rather than resentment? Odette D'Aniello, a seasoned entrepreneur and leadership expert in the specialty food industry, offers practical strategies for fostering open communication and emotional intelligence at work. She emphasizes focusing feedback on the product, not the person, tailoring communication to experience levels, and promoting a culture of psychological safety through recognition and compassion. Odette also highlights the importance of active listening, mindfulness, and empathy in resolving conflicts and strengthening team well-being. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Karen Tinglev-Hansen interviews Odette D'Aniello, Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, about how to build healthier, more collaborative teams in the bakery and specialty food industry. Odette discusses constructive feedback techniques, managing workplace conflict, and creating psychologically safe cultures while sharing personal stories, mindful leadership practices, and ways to sustain long-term team harmony.

October 15, 202546 min

[IDDBA Series] Do You Hear Me Now? Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy, sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Many entrepreneurs and leaders struggle with clear and authentic communication, especially when balancing professional responsibilities with personal relationships. Misunderstandings, unclear boundaries, and poor listening habits can damage trust and create unnecessary conflict. How can business leaders foster stronger connections while maintaining clarity, accountability, and respect? Odette D'Aniello, a specialty food entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, has developed strategies for mastering authentic communication in both business and family settings. She emphasizes listening first, validating others' perspectives, and speaking with confidence to inspire creativity and trust. Odette also highlights the importance of setting clear expectations and boundaries, aligning tone and body language with intentions, and practicing self-awareness and self-care to enhance relationships and strengthen organizational cultures. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Karen Hansen interviews Odette D'Aniello, CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio and Dragonfly Cakes, about authentic communication for personal and professional well-being. Odette explores building trust with teams and customers, setting boundaries in family businesses, and fostering creativity through clear dialogue. She also discusses self-correction, conflict resolution, and the role of mindfulness in effective leadership.

September 10, 202535 min

[IDDBA Series] Clear Is Kind: Setting Boundaries for Professional and Personal Well-Being

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy, sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Running a bakery or specialty food business often blurs the boundaries between personal life, family obligations, and customer demands. Long hours, creative passion, and constant requests can lead to burnout and resentment. How can entrepreneurs protect their well-being while growing a thriving business? Odette D'Aniello, an experienced bakery owner and entrepreneur, emphasizes the importance of setting and maintaining clear boundaries. She shares practical tools such as the "whole cake" life balance model, the Eisenhower Matrix for time management, and her personal FEWGGS (focus, exercise, water, greens, gratitude, and sleep) self-care routine. Odette highlights the role of mindfulness and meditation in building self-awareness, encourages clear communication systems with clients and employees, and underscores the value of delegation by putting the right people in the right roles. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Karen Hansen interviews Odette D'Aniello, Founder and CEO of Celebrity Gourmet Ventures, about setting boundaries in the bakery and specialty food industry. Odette also explores the role of self-care in preventing burnout, the challenges of family-run businesses, and strategies for managing customer expectations while protecting personal well-being.

August 13, 202535 min

[IDDBA Series] From Burnout to Bliss: Building Resilience in a High-Pressure Food Industry

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy, sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… High-pressure industries, such as food service, often push people to their limits, leading to exhaustion, a lack of creativity, and decreased job satisfaction. Long hours, physical demands, supply chain challenges, and customer expectations can lead to burnout. How can professionals in such demanding fields protect their well-being while maintaining business success? Odette D'Aniello, an expert with over 25 years of experience in the specialty food industry, shares strategies for combating burnout and reclaiming joy at work. She emphasizes setting clear boundaries, delegating tasks that drain your energy, and focusing on work that inspires. She recommends using the Eisenhower Matrix for prioritization, practicing daily self-care habits like meditation and exercise, and fostering a calm, supportive workplace culture. These actions help leaders and employees maintain energy, creativity, and resilience. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Karen Hansen hosts Odette D'Aniello, CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, to talk about building resilience in the high-pressure food industry. Odette discusses burnout prevention, the value of mindfulness, and daily self-care habits. She also explores strategies for effective delegation, maintaining customer satisfaction, and creating a supportive work environment.

July 9, 202532 min

[IDDBA Series] Embracing Systems Thinking for Personal and Professional Well-Being

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy, sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Many professionals in the baking and specialty food industries struggle to balance their demanding work schedules with personal well-being. Long hours, intense workloads, and constant pressure often lead to burnout and neglected personal lives. How can entrepreneurs and business owners create sustainable success without sacrificing their health, relationships, and happiness? Seasoned baking entrepreneur and systems thinking advocate Odette D'Aniello offers practical strategies to address this challenge. She emphasizes the importance of viewing life holistically, comparing it to baking a cake with carefully balanced ingredients. She encourages professionals to conduct a personal systems audit to assess their life balance, set clear boundaries between work and personal life, and leverage small changes — such as mindfulness practices and intentional decision-making — to create a significant impact on overall well-being. Odette stresses that success should not come at the expense of health, family, or joy. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Karen Hansen hosts Odette D'Aniello, CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, to talk about achieving personal and professional well-being through systems thinking. Odette shares her insights on creating life balance, the power of small leverage points, and building strong community connections. She also talks about setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and aligning goals with personal values.

June 11, 202530 min

[IDDBA Series] What's Love Got To Do With It: Aligning Passion With Profession – A Guide for Specialty Food Pros

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Many people in creative and demanding industries struggle to align their professional roles with their true passions. Over time, the pressure to succeed can lead to burnout, disconnection, and a sense of unfulfilled potential, especially in fields like specialty food and baking, where long hours and operational stress are prevalent. How can entrepreneurs bring meaning and personal joy back into their work? Seasoned entrepreneur and creative force in the baking world, Odette D'Aniello shares actionable strategies for reconnecting with one's purpose. She emphasizes the power of journaling, introspection, and identifying core values as a foundation for meaningful work. She encourages experimenting with new hobbies, shadowing professionals, and building community around shared interests. Odette also provides insights on integrating side hustles, leveraging continuous learning, and developing resilience through self-care and mindset shifts. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, host Odette D'Aniello, CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, talks about aligning passion with profession in the food business. Odette discusses how she rediscovered teaching as a calling, shares her journaling process toward clarity, and reflects on growing a business alongside a lavender farm. She also delves into reframing setbacks, building a support network, and practicing mindful self-care.

May 14, 202548 min

Building a Family Bakery Empire With Odette D'Aniello

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Many entrepreneurs struggle to find their niche, especially after experiencing failure or burnout in their initial ventures. How can you pivot from an unsustainable business model to a more profitable and fulfilling path without losing the passion that drove you in the first place? Baker and entrepreneur Odette D'Aniello's first café business attracted customers but failed financially. After a chance encounter at a wedding expo, Odette recognized the value of focusing solely on custom cakes — a skill she had honed since childhood. By trusting her intuition, closing the café overnight, and boldly repositioning her business, Odette transformed her struggling venture into a thriving cake studio. Embracing risk, creativity, and a clear sense of purpose allowed her to transform a difficult situation into a long-term success. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Odette D'Aniello, Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, about building a resilient baking business. Odette shares insights on family partnerships, intuition-driven decisions, and launching a Filipino high tea experience.

April 16, 202546 min

[IDDBA Series] Baking Success: A Strategic Approach To Personal and Professional Well-Being

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, designing, developing, and manufacturing delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she hosts the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, where she shares insights from successful individuals in the food and beverage sector. In this episode… Running a bakery — or any small business — is like juggling a dozen tasks at once. You make critical decisions daily, but how do you know they're the right ones for your long-term vision, family, and well-being? Are your short-term wins pulling you away from what matters most? Seasoned bakery entrepreneur Odette D'Aniello has developed a values-driven framework for decision-making, anchored by mindfulness, goal setting, and prioritizing well-being. She encourages business owners to reflect on their origin stories and long-term vision, using tools like the Japanese concept of ikigai to align passion, profession, mission, and vocation. By setting boundaries that protect family time to pausing before major decisions and embracing uncertainty, entrepreneurs can balance ambition with fulfillment. In this episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Heather Prach interviews Odette D'Aniello, CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, about aligning personal purpose with business decisions. Odette shares how values-based leadership fosters clarity, resilience, and long-term success. She also discusses techniques for goal setting, mindfulness practices, and balancing professional growth with family priorities.

May 29, 202430 min

Flourishing in Flavor: Stories From Global Food Artisans

Odette D'Aniello is the Founder and CEO of Celebrity Cake Studio, a family-owned and operated retail cake boutique. The company has received numerous awards, including winning Best of Western Washington several times. With experience in the food industry, business strategy sales, and marketing, Odette has obtained additional skills in product design and brand development, event management, and team building. She is also the Owner of Dragonfly Cakes, the wholesale sister company to Celebrity Cake Studio, which designs, develops, and manufactures delicious handmade and clean-label petit fours, tea cakes, and mini desserts. Odette is involved in various other ventures, including being a US West Accelerator Expert for the Entrepreneurs' Organization, the Owner of True Nature Distribution LLC, and a Managing Partner for 26th St Holdings. In this episode… Entrepreneurship can be an art form that extends beyond personal gain, encompassing community, culture, and storytelling. Hear how one mother-daughter duo has crafted a legacy that transcends professional success. Throughout the year, Odette and Milana D'Aniello attended prestigious food events, presenting their unique creations and exploring the latest culinary trends and innovations. These experiences fueled their passion and inspired new recipes that blend traditional flavors with contemporary techniques. Their culinary journey is about more than food — it's a celebration of heritage, art, and the joy of creation. By connecting with their cultural roots and embracing the art of baking, Odette and Milana have crafted a distinctive identity that resonates with their audience, demonstrating how passion, innovation, and cultural appreciation can lead to remarkable achievements. Join Odette D'Aniello on today's episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast as her daughter, Milana D'Aniello, Director of Marketing at Celebrity Gourmet Ventures, interviews her about their eventful year. Reflecting on their shared experiences, the mother-daughter duo explores a journey enriched by their Filipino heritage, love for cooking, and dedication to transforming their entrepreneurial ventures into a canvas of delectable experiences.

March 6, 202438 min

From Concept To Creation: A Guide To Building Your Food Brand With Bridget Greaney and Nancy Becker

Nancy Becker and Bridget Greaney are the Co-founders and CEOs of 2Betties, a wellness company dedicated to crafting delicious and nutritious snacks. Their journey began when Bridget, a college student, created the product during breaks between classes after noticing a lack of nutritious snack options. The positive peer responses inspired Bridget, and her mother, Nancy, encouraged her to explore the idea as a business venture. Embracing the opportunity, Nancy eagerly joined forces with her daughter. Together, they are dedicated to providing nutritious and delicious snacks to promote healthier lifestyles for all. In this episode… Embarking on the journey of creating a brand involves more than just having a great idea; it requires careful planning, strategic execution, and a deep understanding of your target audience. How can founders navigate the process from ideation to execution? In their voyage to bring their product to market, brand owners Bridget Greaney and Nancy Becker gained an understanding of product development, leveraged co-packers, and specified their target customers. When developing your product, packaging and messaging are crucial in bringing your brand to life. Focus on creating products that address a specific need or solve a problem for your target market. As a small business, partnering with a co-packer can streamline production, giving you specialized manufacturing capabilities. It's also essential to connect with your target audience. Bridget and Nancy recommend conducting market research by visiting various venues and offering products to pinpoint your ideal customer. By following these steps and staying true to your brand's vision and values, you can create a brand that resonates with your target audience and stands the test of time. In the most recent episode of the Celebrity Gourmet Podcast, Odette D'Aniello welcomes mother-daughter duo Nancy Becker and Bridget Greaney, the Co-founders and CEOs of 2Betties, to discuss their journey of turning an idea into a thriving brand. They share the origins of 2Betties, elaborate on their strategies for identifying their brand's target customers, and discuss their unique experiences as business partners.