'What's the point of a cake if it doesn't taste good?"
Such is the philosophy of budding entrepreneur and cake baker to the stars, Jonathan Massaad, as he explains why he favours the more temperamental buttercream frosting over traditional fondant for his extravagant creations.
He has invited SBS into his well-appointed home kitchen to make a cake after school.
Swapping apron for schoolbag, Jonathan has time only to grab a quick snack from his Aunt Gladys before heading into the kitchen for the start of his work day.
"I finish school at 3 o'clock, get home at about 3:30 and spend about 2 hours on homework, then after that I give myself a little break then 7:30 to 8 I get into the kitchen. So I end up in bed sometimes up to 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock," he admits.
The juggle is paying off; three years since he started Sugar High Desserts as a 15-year-old, Jonathan is on track to finish his HSC and delve further into his growing business.
The desserts will bring in $80,000 to $90,000 in 2016, with a 40 percent profit margin bringing the schoolboy a tidy income of more than $45,000 after expenditure.
The budding entrepreneur is completely his HSC at St Paul's Catholic College in Greystanes. Source: Supplied
"In the first year we weren't making a profit, we were only covering the costs of ingredients and everything which is about $50 a cake," he explains.
It was Instagram that changed that, bringing Jonathan his first paying customers.
At 15, he had been baking for family and friends, but when photos of his extravagant desserts started to spread online, the phone began to ring - it hasn't stopped since.
'We sold about 20 cakes the first year, then we sold 200 last year and this year we are making about 600 - but there will probably be way more by the end."
Baking for big brands
Clients include a slew of local celebrities and big brands; Mimco is a fan, having collaborated with the teenager, and Jonathan's first-class desserts were fancy enough to serve to Etihad Airway's most discerning clientele.
The list goes on, but you won't hear about it from Jonathan - though he does admit to having moments of awe.
"Sometimes if I am doing a TV appearance or someone asks to have a photo with me and I think, why would you want a photo with me? Don't you want someone else?"
They don't.
More surprising than his age and acumen is his education; Jonathan learned all he knows from YouTube and practice, which in this case, has made perfect.
"I am very pedantic so if a cake is tilting that is a massive failure to me and I will do the whole thing again, then I will think why is it tilting and from there I will learn something and I will never make that mistake again."
The same applies with his space.
This is the realm of immaculate counters, matching tupperware and pristine appliances - in other words, an unusual habitat of a teenage boy.
The Sugar High Kitchen is far from a commercial kitchen, but it gets the job done. Source: Supplied
"I just find if I have a tidy kitchen I have a tidy cake, and if it's not clean I can't work," he admits.
Massaad's cakes range from $250 to $600 each, depending on the size and type of treats he uses.
Today's masterpiece is a layered vanilla caramel base with mint chocolate frosting, topped with an assortment of well-placed mint chocolate treats.
But this savvy businessman isn't tempted by his wares - after a moment's pause, Jonathan decides it will go on Instagram in a last-minute auction, starting at $250, but "will probably sell higher" when tens of thousands of drooling followers throw in their bids.
Jonathan's creation of the day: a vanilla caramel base with mint chocolate frosting, topped with an assortment of mint chocolate treats. Source: Supplied
Next, he is being flown to Tokyo to teach baking - something he is already doing closer to home with Westfield Shopping Centres.
Longer term, Jonathan's plans are to franchise the business, extend corporate partnerships and solidify the brand - but first, homework.
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