The chef, content creator, and owner of Bad Ash Bakes has built a devoted following by sharing everything from her decadent cinnamon rolls to the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship. After working as a private chef, Cunningham took a leap of faith when her NBA client was traded, using the opportunity to launch a cookie business from a ghost kitchen and eventually grow it into a thriving brick-and-mortar bakery.
Her videos are as honest as they are mouthwatering, documenting the long hours, financial hurdles, and hard-won lessons that come with building a dream from scratch. Cunningham has spent years perfecting her recipes, and she hopes every bite from Bad Ash Bakes feels infused with love and intention. Read about Ashley Cunningham’s journey in her C&C 100 interview below.
ASHLEY CUNNINGHAM DIDN’T JUST build a business; SHE BUILT A community.
What are some of your earliest memories of food tat still bring you joy? Did it center around the holidays, or were you regularly helping your family out with everyday meals?
My earliest memories of food revolve around family gatherings. My family would religiously get together at my aunt’s house every Sunday for dinner and we would do the same for holidays. I looked forward to these gatherings because they were filled with so much love, laughter and delicious food of course!
When did you realize your calling was to be a chef?
I realized it was my calling to be a chef when I was 16 years old. I joined a cooking class in high school and was invited to be a part of our culinary competition team. That was my first realization that food could be a career.
You were working as a private chef before opening your own bakery, Bad Ash Bakes. When did you realize you wanted to make that pivot, and what sacrifices were required to make it happen?
I had always known that I wanted a business of my own, and the hectic schedule that came with being a private chef was grueling. My full time NBA client was traded so I decided to rent a ghost kitchen and ship cookies to my TikTok followers. It was so profitable that I signed a year lease and the rest was history. I was able to save the capital to fund my own brick and mortar.
You’ve built a huge online following with your day in the life videos and cooking tutorials. How do you balance posting consistently while running a full scale brick & mortar shop?
I truly don’t post as much as I have the desire to. My days now are sort of monotonous and because we have a team of 16 staff members, it’s hard to not capture them in videos. But because I have built such a genuine rapport with my audience online, I’m always pulled to share what I’m eating, what I’m cooking or new recipe ideas I’m testing out. It’s really fun actually to engage with others regarding food because we all love food, it’s a universal love language.
Did you raise capital to start your bakery? If so, what did you learn from the process?
I personally raised capital to start my business! I learned that it’s extremely tough to receive any kind of funding, especially for a food business. I also made so many mistakes because there is so very much to know about operating a business.
“Entrepreneurship stretches you until you physically, mentally and spiritually cannot stretch anymore. And then it stretches you some more.”
You’ve openly shared the blood, sweat and tears that went into opening Bad Ash Bakes. What have you learned from the early growing pains of building your business?
I have learned and am still learning that I have a much greater capacity than I could’ve ever imagined. Entrepreneurship stretches you until you physically, mentally and spiritually cannot stretch anymore. And then it stretches you some more. I also learned that if you have the will, drive and determination, the universe will create a path for you.
One of your most popular items at Bad Ash Bakes are the cinnamon rolls. How long did it take to perfect this recipe? And what inspires you to come up with different twists on it?
It took years to create this cinnamon roll recipe. I have been making different variations of this recipe for years. The more I have learned about the science of baking, the more I have tweaked and added different ingredients and methods. It seems to be working because people adore these cinnamon rolls and we still run out on weekends!
How do you want people to feel when they taste your desserts and test out the recipes you share online?
I want people to feel like there was love and intention put into what they are experiencing. I have crafted these recipes with care and a lot of joy behind each recipe! I hope it brings people together and creates memories, that's the ultimate goal.
What is the one go-to ingredient in your pantry or fridge that you must have on hand at all times?
Butter and vanilla paste.
What are your future plans for Bad Ash Bakes?
I would love to open a location on the West Coast! I’d love to have a few bakeries across the US.
Rapid fire POP QUIZ:
The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is:
unfortunately check my texts. Someone usually calls out or I forgot to order eggs
If I had one more hour in the day, I would:
SLEEP
A song that describes the era I’m in right now is:
Everybody Mad by OT Genesis but the Beyonce Coachella mix
My current obsession is:
dreaming about the day I will be able to sleep!
Three words to describe the legacy I want to leave behind…
Dreams do come true!