I had the fantastic opportunity to speak with Megan Potthoff who served as culinary producer and food stylist on the film Sitting in Bars with Cake. It is based on a true incident of a shy, unlucky young woman who bakes a cake for her best friend’s birthday and brings it to a bar, where men flock. She thinks it’s a fluke, but her friend pushes her to bake and bring cakes to bars for a year to find love. Her life opens up in ways she never dreamed for the shy young woman. The film stars Yara Shahidi, Odessa A’zion, Martha Kelly, Ron Livingston and Bette Midler. Yara Shahidi also served as an executive producer. 

“It was really important for us to make it feel and look authentic,” stated Potthoff regarding little nuances with the character Jane. She and her team were so detailed focus on the small part such as how she was holding the piping bag, using the spatula, and even frosting the cake as a home maker. 

“We had a cake wall in one of our offices,” stated Potthoff. She and her team were charged with making sure the cakes were designed with the flow and theme of each bar, but also passed the tasting test. Each cake was number as they went through what Megan described as ‘as a lot of trial and error.’ Through this process they went through a design and tasting examination of each cake to only pick the one that they all could agree upon would fit the cake’s name and flavor profile. They were already scripted, so they had to work within the boundaries of the script to bring these beautiful masterpieces to life that tasted equally expectational. 

“So, it was really our job to bring the design to life. And of course, with my pastry background I couldn’t help myself but make them taste like how they were described. Like the spice rum cake and the pina colada cocktail cake,” said Potthoff. On and off camera she made sure the realism of the cakes wasn’t just for show, they would taste as sweet as had been written.  

Megan said that the fun point of the movie is at the end with the cake bar brought in by Jane played by Yara Shahidi. This is where she intentionally ensured that the various cakes exemplified Jane’s progress as a baker and adding her own finesse. “I channeled my own pastry creativity, “said Potthoff.  

“I was really proud to be part of this project where I was able to let the cakes shine and tell the story through the cakes, “replied Potthoff when asked how she felt at the end of this amazing opportunity.