When Nils Rowland opened Crème de la Cocoa in St. Augustine with his wife Bailey a decade ago, he hadn’t planned on becoming one of Florida’s most sought-after pastry chefs—or a Food Network competitor. Raised by parents in the sciences, he grew up in labs, expecting a similar career. But a love of food led him to the hospitality program at the University of Central Florida and ultimately, a very different path.
After a period in restaurant management that left him uninspired, Nils’ parents encouraged him to explore something more aligned with his passion. Pastry school happened to have an open spot. He enrolled, and everything changed the day he tasted a banana truffle during a class.
“It was art, science, and it made people happy…hell yeah,” he recalls realizing this could be his new life calling. That moment became the launchpad for a career built on creativity, precision, and a deep respect for the joy desserts bring to people’s lives.
Today, Creme de la Cocoa is a full-service bakery producing everything from ornate wedding cakes to cookies, macarons, truffles, chocolate bars, pre-packaged items, and more. The operation is bigger than most may realize: making up to 200 birthday cakes a week, a dozen wedding cakes, wholesale accounts with local restaurants, and 20–25 employees, including eight full-time pastry chefs.
Guests love signature items like the “Florida Native” cake—yellow cake brushed with strawberry puree, layered with orange mousse—and slices of key lime pie, which Nils calls, “what Florida would taste like if it were a dessert.” The Southern Belle pecan pie is also a favorite, but he notes it’s not about one standout item.
“Ten customers will choose ten different favorites,” he says. “What they remember is how we showed up for their special moments.”
For Nils, that responsibility is at the heart of the business. Baking for birthdays, weddings, and milestone celebrations carries emotional weight. “People are trusting you with the biggest moments in their lives,” he says. “Your job is to deliver and deliver consistently.” His philosophy is simple: under-promise, over-deliver, and make the memories as good as the desserts.
Part of that consistency comes from ingredients he trusts. The bakery relies on General Mills flours such as Gold Medal Purasnow, which has become indispensable. “Our cake recipe only works with Purasnow for our cakes,” Nils explains. “We’ve tried other flours for our cakes, and it’s never the same.”
Nils also attributes Creme de la Cocoa’s success to its people. Employee turnover is almost nonexistent; many staff members have been there five years or more. Nils credits this to one intentional decision: build the lifestyle you want before you open the doors. The bakery closes Sundays and Mondays, takes a week off at Thanksgiving, and a week off at Christmas—all non-negotiable. Staff vote on holiday schedules; summers offer flexibility. “If work is the most stable part of someone’s life, everything else becomes easier,” he says. “That’s how you get longevity.”
For other bakers, his advice is simple: take risks, don’t copy unless you can be the best, find what’s missing in your market, build a team you trust, scale thoughtfully, and protect the quality of life that makes the work sustainable.
Because in the end, Nils says, “It’s easy to be good for a month. To be great, you have to be good for ten years—day in, day out.”
Aside from all of the success at the bakery, Nils recently competed on Food Network’s Sweet Empire: Winter Wars and has also competed on Halloween Wars, Big Time Bake and Cake Wars.
"Seeing what Nils and the team at Crème de la Cocoa have created has been inspiring. Beyond incredible desserts, the bakery has a culture rooted in consistency, creativity, and genuine care for both customers and staff,” said Rosa Braley, sales for General Mills Foodservice. “His attention to detail—whether in perfecting recipes or cultivating a team that thrives—truly sets him apart."