Baking Dreams and Breaking Barriers with Kareem 'Mr. Bake' Queeman

Sprung On Food

In this episode of 'Sprung on Food,' host Kae Sprung interviews award-winning pastry chef Kareem Queeman, also known as Mr. Bake.

Kareem shares his nostalgic beginnings in baking inspired by his grandmother, his rise in the culinary world, and his mission to represent Black and queer bakers on a national scale. The conversation delves into Kareem's experiences on food competition shows, the challenges of creating authentic representation in mainstream media, and the importance of self-care and authenticity.

Kareem also describes his award-winning banana pudding and offers insight into his public speaking work aimed at inspiring inner-city youth. Don't miss this heartfelt and insightful interview with a trailblazer in the baking community.

00:00 Introduction to Mr. Bake

01:34 New York vs. DMV Food Scene

03:21 Nostalgic Baking Beginnings

07:49 The Origin of 'Mr. Bake'

10:45 Representation in the Food Industry

18:00 Journey into Food Competitions

21:47 Casting Diversity in TV Shows

23:45 Food Network Opportunity

25:48 Competition Show Challenges

30:26 Authenticity and Representation

36:57 Award-Winning Banana Pudding

43:22 Final Thoughts and Farewell

See behind the scenes photos and video here: http://instagram.com/sprungonfood

Check back for new episodes, and make sure to also subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsprung

You can also learn more and follow Kae Sprung here:
Website: http://katherinesprung.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsprung
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsprung?

About the show:
Sprung On Food is an interview based series, hosted by Katherine Sprung, a food and media entrepreneur. This season, we're stepping into the world of food content creation, featuring food bloggers, chefs, cookbook authors, and media pros you should know. And, we get to know them through food, a universal connector.