We sit down with Atlanta baker and entrepreneur J-Blake to talk about building and rebuilding a dessert brand rooted in Southern tradition, community, and pressure-tested creativity from national TV. His story moves from a small-town rise to a season of refocus, offering real lessons on resilience, identity, and craft.
In this episode:
• Carrying Southern nostalgia from Grandma’s kitchen into modern desserts
• Navigating rapid growth, burnout, and the choice to close a successful first bakery
• Launching Scrumpt with a smaller menu and a bigger focus on quality
• Learning from the Food Network how to adapt quickly and release perfectionism
• Insights from 99 to Beat on mental toughness and handling pressure
• Balancing the marathon of bakery life with the sprint of televised competition
• Encouragement for small-town dreamers on risk, failure, and self-belief
• What’s next: Atlanta storefront goals, nationwide shipping, and keeping the soul in every dessert
• Fan favorites and surprises: cheesecake devotion and the red velvet–banana pudding mashup
Follow J-Blake:
Instagram: @lifeofjblake
Scrumpt: @scrumptatl
