KERMAN, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – From a small San Joaquin trailer in central California to a beautiful new home just 20 minutes away, Andre Contreras used his humble beginnings, and a state-of-the-art kitchen to cook up success.
“So my two siblings and my parents we grew up in a small trailer home, it was a one-bedroom in San Joaquin California,” said Andre. “I feel like growing up there really keeps us humble to this day because we came from nothing and now having a home is such an amazing feeling.”
Andre’s father was born in Michoacán, Mexico, while his mom grew up in southern California, both of them teaching Andre the value of hard work and perseverance.
For Contreras baking is a passion, growing up he would help his mom and abuelita bake cakes for family parties.
One day he saw Buddy Valastro on TV and he believed that his dreams of becoming a professional baker could become a reality.
“I was scrolling on my YouTube one day and I got another inspiration from the TV show called Cake Boss so I was like oh he’s a guy and he’s baking, and you wouldn’t see guys baking in the town I was in so I was like if he can do it, I can do it, and I’ll see where it takes me,” said Contreras.
He then launched his own business Andre’s Delights selling extravagant cakes, and traditional Mexican desserts with his family lending a helping hand.
“Don’t worry, we will help you. We started buying him things, we bought him his first mixer and he was very happy saying ‘Oh my god my first mixer!’” said Carina Contreras, Andre’s mother. “We want you to succeed, whatever you guys want, that’s what we are going to help you with.”
At just 16 years old Andre started selling designer cakes posting the desserts online for the world to see. Then he started a YouTube channel and a TikTok page. At first, he would not show his face, only his creations.
But then Andre mustered up the courage and stepped in front of the camera, a decision that changed Andre’s Delights forever.
“We would see him at night talking and doing his videos, I’d say what are you doing talking at night, who are you talking to? And he’d say mom I’m just doing a video of myself, and I’d say oh okay but I never thought he’d overcome to do videos because he was very, very shy,” said Carina.
It was a video in April of 2023 of Andre baking a Monsters Inc. birthday cake that put him on the map.
“Within 30 minutes it had over two million views,” said Andre. “By the time I got home, I don’t remember how many views it got but I was like wow! And then I saw all the recognition I was getting, so I said I’m going to keep doing it. I’ll keep posting.”
The video went viral with now, more than 5 million views— but with the growing success, things became overwhelming.
The stress of school and social media, Andre nearly gave up.
“At the beginning of this year I was about to go work at a 9 to 5 job at a fast food place,” said Andre. “This business wasn’t really doing much for me because I wasn’t making a profit.”
A trip to Mexico convinced him to give it another shot.
He raised his prices to make a profit, and with the power of social media today business is booming.
”This is my churro cheesecake, usually topped and drizzled with chocolate syrup, lechera, and strawberries. This is one of my most viral pan dulces that you can get at your local panadería. It’s called “cortadillo” or Mexican pink cake… and this is my tres leches cake which we are also going to frost right now. It’s one of my best sellers and it’s also what brought Andre’s Delights to life.”
Andre even showed me the baking and decorating tips that help to make his desserts so special.
As for what’s next, Andre would like to collaborate with celebrities and with brands like Kitchen Aid and Betty Crocker.
His ultimate goal is to open a café with his sister who is also an entrepreneur specializing in milk shakes and smoothies.
But for right now he is just happy using his platform to inspire other Latinos to show they can do and be anything.
And hopes his visibility empowers young men, just like the younger version of himself to be proud of baking.
“Helping guys bake is something I’m proud of because I’m always getting DM’s and comments like oh you helped me bake, you motivated me to bake as a guy and I’m forever grateful for that,” said Andre.
