Chef Kareem Queeman, widely known as Mr. Bake, is an award-winning baker, entrepreneur, on-air talent, and community advocate. From his grandmother’s kitchen in Harlem’s historic Sugar Hill district—where he baked his first cake at age eight—he developed a lifelong devotion to pastry, rooted in creativity and community.

Guided by that early passion, Chef Kareem trained formally at Monroe University and the International Culinary Center, then sharpened his skills in esteemed bakeries on the East Coast—including launching the legendary Crumbs Bake Shop’s DC outpost.

Now, as the Founder & CEO of Mr. Bake Sweets, Chef Kareem has spent over a decade perfecting nostalgic, from-scratch-made cakes and banana pudding. With his namesake dessert studio, Mr. Bake has become renowned for his bold and artistic cakes and dessert displays, making history in 2023 as the first Black man to be named a James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker.

Known for his charisma on-air, Mr. Bake has appeared on Food Network, Netflix, Discovery, and beyond, appearing as a judge and competitor on shows such as Beat Bobby Flay, The Girl Scouts Baking Championship, Sugar Rush Christmas, Buddy vs. Duff, Bake It ‘Til You Make It, and The Big Bake—ultimately being crowned winner of the Cake Boss' Bake it Like Buddy. Most recently, he brings his expertise to the judging panel of the Canadian baking competition series Bake Shop.

Chef Kareem’s work has been featured widely on daytime television shows, including Rachael Ray, The TODAY Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Sherri Show, as well as in the book Queers at the Table, an anthology of stories and recipes that reveals the dynamic and transformative relationship between queerness and food.

Beyond the kitchen, Chef Kareem is guided by the belief that food can uplift. Through his Sweets for the Community initiative, he donates his time and desserts to various organizations. His service on the boards of C‑CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), the Queer Food Foundation, and the Worthy Mentor Group expands that impact through education, inclusion, and mentorship. His work exemplifies how the power of food and representation can be harnessed to build a more inclusive culinary world.