A Young Baker is Spreading Passion & Creativity

Preston Vollet is a self-taught baker and caterer. With minimum training and plenty of diligence and determination, the 16-year-old has built a catering business on his own. 

The Flower Mound-based solopreneur calls himself a total foodie who likes trying new restaurants. His love for food and creativity sparked a business bug when he discovered his Instagram posts were getting attention. 

“I started posting on my Instagram in June of 2019. I took my first official bakery order in January 2020 and my first charcuterie order in September 2020,” the junior at Marcus High School said. “I realized I wanted to pursue this whenever my followers on Instagram increased significantly and when family/friends reached out to order items.”

In March, Preston made his business official. The founder of Preston V Catering and Cakes, LLC, is polishing his baking and catering artistry and getting better at overall business skills. Preston V Catering offers baked goods, charcuterie boards, graze tables, and catered options.

“My company strives to take all the hassle out of planning for your special events. We create custom solutions for our clients’ needs,” he said. “Something that motivates me every day is the business progress from year to year. I can’t wait to see where I am tomorrow and in a year!”

Preston’s gorgeous graze tables are popular in the town. He has spent a lot of time learning the correct order to arrange items and how to style them the best. He enjoys the aesthetics of colors, layers, and textures that create a display that is pleasing to the eye. Preston has created a collection of platters, bowls, and display pieces to add height and visual interest. It is a creative outlet for sure. 

“The time it takes to create an extensive graze table is much longer than many realize. For our last graze table, we did 180 servings, which took a total of 55 person-hours. It consisted of invoicing, planning, shopping, prepping, delivery, set up, clean up, and re-organizing all used items,” he said.

“Anytime I see my customers’ look on their faces when they see my creation for the first time, it truly reminds me of why I do what I do. This pushes me to want to be the best and provide the highest quality product for my customers. My business is about time and food shared with friends and family. Being part of those memories is special.”

Preston has received great support and guidance from his mentors, family, and people around him. His parents are his biggest cheerleaders. Mom Amy, who has a career in advertising, is always there for her son whenever and wherever needed. Amy sees Preston as a big thinker who is always in observation and learning mode. 

“The biggest lesson I have learned observing Preston is to be fearless in pursuing your dreams. He believes in himself and finds a way to make it happen,” she said. 

Preston’s dad, J.J., comes from a restaurant and hospitality management background. He feels so proud to see his son dedicated to his passion at a young age. “Embrace letting your child march to their own beat even if it doesn’t conform to societal expectations or beliefs. By letting them be true to themselves, they can truly fly.”

As the company grows, Preston aims to work for larger catering events, such as galas and corporate events. He also aspires to have his own line of products someday. For him, success is about getting to do something he loves that keeps him challenged and constantly evolving. 

Preston Vollet is an inspiration to many young people out there. His advice to the youth of his age group is to find something they are interested in and try to work and be the best at it.

“If you have an idea, go for it. If you want to meet someone, reach out. If you have a question, ask it. If I hadn’t taken risks or been afraid, I wouldn’t be able to do what I have done so far. I started as a food blog and have turned into a catering business — you never know where your hobbies will take you.”