In the bustling heart of the kitchen, where the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked goods dances through the air, a THS student discovered the power of flour, sugar, and an unwavering dedication to make a difference. Meet THS junior Jacob Dardashti, a remarkable individual who, in the pursuit of his Bar Mitzvah project in 2019, started his company, Baked by Jacob. From cookies to cake, Dardashti has baked it all; alongside his most popular creation, the s’mores cake (image on left), are his cookies, which come in red velvet, Cookie Monster, s’mores, Nutella funfetti, birthday cake, and cosmic brownie flavors (image in center). Delicious!

Dardashti ultimately began to nurture his love for baking because “he loves creating new things and sharing them with others.” Through his delicious creations, Dardashti discovered the true essence of mitzvah, the Hebrew word for a good deed. He recalls that his inspiration came from his grandpa who was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis led him to donate all proceeds from his baked goods to the American Cancer Society.

Since September of 2021, after Dardashti fulfilled his Bar Mitzvah project, he has continued his love for baking. Currently, he has grown his Instagram to over 2,000 followers and his TikTok to over 207,000 followers, enabling him to make brand deals with companies that pay him to make a post or collab with them. He “got celebrity followers and interactions with his business by simply having fun with creating content.” Passion fuels a commitment to excellence and instills pride in the quality of work, so it’s no wonder that millions of people, including celebrities like Gordon Ramsay and Olivia Rodrigo, were entertained by his videos. On TikTok, Dardashti boasts a total of 19.3 million likes, and his most viewed post, which features his great grandma, whom he loves baking with, has 40 million views and 6 million likes! In the video, she bakes a purple cake and lights a purple candle, hoping to attract Gordon Ramsay’s attention. Within less than a month, that TikTok caught the culinary icon’s attention, and he duetted their TikTok and expressed his awe of Dardashti’s genuine love for baking and praised his skills. 

These celebrity interactions have greatly impacted his account because they have attracted more followers, views, and likes for his page. For example, Gordon Ramsay’s duet of his post got 18 million views, and many of those viewers came to his page because of the duet. Additionally, Dardashti receives invitations to restaurants that offer him free food in exchange for him promoting their food on his page.

So, what tips does Dardashti have for new young entrepreneurs? His advice for success is “to have fun with the business because the more fun you have with it, the more hard-working and passionate you will be about it.” His authentic love for baking, contagious joy, and strong passion shone through in his TikTok videos, touching the hearts of those who have watched them. Ultimately, his business serves as a testament to the profound impact of passion, love, and hard work. Through Baked by Jacob, he has not only had the opportunity to have a purposeful Bar Mitzvah project, but he has also inspired countless people to chase after their dreams.