One bite of a decadent Lady M Confections cake and it’s easy to see why the international dessert brand has garnered a cult-like following. Made up of 20 paper-thin homemade crepes with pastry creme between each layer, the company’s signature crepe cakes come in a variety of flavors, including green tea, coconut and chocolate banana.
Ken Romaniszyn, who grew up in Orange County, is the mastermind behind the brand, which has grown from one cake boutique in New York to 47 stores around the world, including one in Irvine. Below, the cake connoisseur talks about growing up in Orange County and how they come up with these delectable confections.
Ken Romaniszyn
What are some fond memories of growing up in the OC?
Playing football at El Toro High School under the lights against Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano. Those were my glory years when I used to be able to run before I started eating too much cake. In high school, I looked like an athlete. Now I look like a baker.
How do you decide what flavors to add each year?
There is no limit to what we can make. You can take any flavor and incorporate it into crepes and make it sweet or savory. We bring in the international chef teams once a year and make like 50 or 60 different cakes. From there, we’ll pick about six to introduce for the following year. That’s the best week of the year.
Do you have a favorite cake?
It’s always strawberry shortcake. I grew up spending my summers in Japan. As soon as school was out, I’d get on a plane and go visit my grandma in Tokyo and one of the things that I always looked forward to is the strawberry shortcake. It’s so different and unique from anything you usually experience in the States. It always reminds me of my childhood.
