Inside Buddy Valastro's Relationship With Chris Christie
Ah, New Jersey. It's the home of the turnpike, really good pizza and bagels and also, many celebrities. Jon Bon Jovi famously hails from the Garden State, as does John Travolta and Chelsea Handler (via NJ Monthly). Another star who was born and raised in New Jersey is perhaps one of the most famous bakers in America — Buddy Valastro. The "Cake Boss" is now a household name, but he had humble beginnings.
Although Valastro's Carlo's Bakery empire now boasts a dozen locations from New Jersey, to Florida to Las Vegas, the bake shop began as a family business in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1910 (via Insider). From there, the cannoli master would go on to open shops in nearby towns with lines of excited customers stretching around the block.
If you look closely at the photos from store opening in Morristown, New Jersey, you'll see a familiar face — that of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie (via Daily Record).
Chris Christie and Buddy Valastro have long supported one another
Chris Christie was the top dog in New Jersey politics from 2010 until 2018. This is around the same timeframe that Buddy Valastro went from being a sought after bakery owner in the state, to an international TV star (via IMDb). Of course, Christie would go on to run for president in 2016, but we all know how that ended.
First, it's worth noting that before Christie went up against Donald Trump for the presidency, he and Valastro were mutual fans of one another. The politician was a fan of the star cake maker's confections, with the TLC alum even making his birthday cake in 2014 (via The Hill). And eventually, Valastro would support the lawmaker in his national political ambitions, not only endorsing Christie for president in 2016, but going on the campaign trail to stump for the candidate (via NJ.com).
So how did the two New Jersey natives develop such a solid relationship?
Buddy Valastro and Chris Christie weathered a major storm together
Let's go back in time to 2012, when Hurricane Sandy left much of Hoboken, New Jersey under flood water. Remember, Buddy Valastro's first bakery — and the site for his wildly popular TV show "Cake Boss" — is located in this city.
The cake-maker-turned-celebrity shared a statement about the disaster in the days following the historic storm, saying in part, "Hoboken is in my heart, and I'm devastated to see the city suffer like this — but know we'll all come back stronger than ever" (via HuffPost). He went on to assure fans that the store was okay, having not suffered "any serious damage."
Chris Christie, then governor, was widely praised for his handling of Hurricane Sandy, with The Washington Post reporting his response bolstered his approval rating in his state to 77 percent.
It was a year after the Republican won the hearts of New Jersey residents that Valastro would go on to endorse him for reelection for governor of the Garden State. In fact, the television star, who clearly weathered a real storm with the lawmaker at the helm, felt so strongly about backing Christie, the younger man would even go to bat for the politician over a very sensitive issue.
Buddy Valastro defended Chris Christie against weight bullies
The "Cake Boss" stepped up to support Chris Christie in his reelection bid for the top job in the state he calls home in 2013 (via HuffPost). Buddy Valastro even took on an official role as chairman of a Small Business for Christie coalition.
But that wasn't the full picture of the fondant master's support for the Republican, with Valastro also standing up against critics of the governor's weight. "It is kind of sick, the world we live in," he said at the time, adding that adults fixating on the lawmaker's weight should lead folks to realize it's not a stretch that kids bully one another. He added all he cared about was what kind of job Christie could do. To that end, Christie even campaigned at Carlo's Bakery (via Observer).
With Valastro's support, of course the eventual presidential candidate won the governorship for a second time. But then a scandal tarnished Christie's once-pristine reputation as a transparent and measured leader.
Both Buddy Valastro and Chris Christie fell from grace
Before he was reelected, Chris Christie may have been secretly plotting to get even with a mayor in his state who didn't endorse him. As such, the governor was accused of allegedly creating unnecessary traffic in Fort Lee, New Jersey via lane closures accessing the George Washington Bridge to New York City.
Of course, the politician said he knew nothing about the plan to snarl up traffic in the already-congested area and two of his top aides would take the fall for the scandal known as Bridgegate (via Britannica).
Meanwhile, it later came to light that before Valastro backed Christie in his reelection campaign, the baker was able to secure a lease at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, which would have required approval from the New York and New Jersey board of commissioners, the head of which is appointed by the governor (via Observer). And so, around this time, both men were seemingly losing favor with fans over alleged insider politics.
And then, there was that DWI.
Buddy Valastro stood behind Chris Christie on the national stage
The lovefest between Chris Christie and Buddy Valastro continued after the former was reelected in 2014. But it's worth noting that the same year, the cake maker was arrested for DWI, a charge he later pled guilty to (via The New York Times). Although he said at the time he learned a valuable lesson, Valastro was pulled over for the same offense in 2020 (via People).
Clearly the first incident didn't put a damper on Valastro's public relationship with Christie, because in 2016, the Republican would be going after the top job in the land and his trusty pastry making pal was right there to support him. "I honestly believe he would make an awesome president,” Valastro said in 2016, and Christie also similarly endorsed his famous friend, saying, "His cakes look amazing. But they taste even better" (via Washington Examiner).
But Christie dropped out of the race in February of 2016 (via CBS News).
Most recently, Valastro is recovering from a hand injury that threatened to end his baking career (via Today). And his fellow New Jersey native wrote a book in 2021 about saving the Republican party.
No word on where their friendship stands today.