Your table’s best kept secret.
At The Table With: Ty Schmidt, Creator of SchmidtyBakes
Name: Tyler Schmidt
Preferred Name: Ty
Pronouns: He/Him
Favorite Sur La Table Kitchen Tool: Pride Spatula
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“Accept everyone for who they are and who they love.”
That’s the message avid baker, food stylist and full-time accountant Ty Schmidt hopes people will reflect on as annual Pride celebrations kick off this June around the country.
I grew up in a supportive household and I know that’s not the case for everyone.
Remembering to accept and treat everyone as equals is so important. You don’t know what someone might be going through and showing some compassion can go a long way in making someone feel they are loved.”
Acceptance, Ty tells us, isn’t easy to come by, especially as a creator and influencer whose passion is shared exclusively online.
“My Instagram started to grow a lot more when reels first came out.
I remember tagging my husband in stories from time to time (like photos from our beautiful forest (surprise) engagement photos in Seattle) and I remember noticing I’d drop a couple hundred followers at a time after doing so.
I took it hard at first, but then was reminded that it was better to have those that supported me for who I am. To this day, I still feel like I want to keep my personal life separate and only post baking content and stories.”
And with over 37,000+ followers on his Instagram, it’s clear Ty’s found his community—something, he tells us, brings him immeasurable joy.
“The fact that someone took the time to make a recipe I created means so much to me. And to take the time to send it to me is amazing.
I recently had someone message me with a whole spread of small batch recipes they made, and they told me that they had a friend came over for a “Schmidty Bakes” baking night.
Messages like that are why I love creating and sharing recipes!”
While Ty receives many messages and DMs from followers recreating his decadent cookie recipes—like his Thin Mint cookies, Cheddar Pistachio cookies or the classic Chocolate Chip—his go-to tends more toward the savory:
“This might surprise you, but this focaccia pizza recipe I found online over 5 years ago is my favorite.
It’s been the one dish I absolutely love to make when hosting friends or for the special dinner night with my husband. It’s quite the process to make—takes about 3 hours from start to finish, most of it is being patient while it rises—but it’s always worth it.
It’s my go to whenever we have new friends coming over.”
It may seem “cliché” as Ty says, but cooking for others and sharing a meal together is one of his favorite ways to show his love.
“I really enjoy how it brings everyone together. I’ve been fortunate enough to have such a good family and friend base here in Kansas City and it’s so fun being able to cook or bake for them from time to time. The time we spend making memories together is important to me. Whether it’s making pizzas in the Ooni or making a small batch of cookies for friends in our kitchen—I love how cooking and baking brings us all together. “
Bringing people together is what his recipes are all about. Something, he explains, can be traced back to his roots. As Ty tells us, it’s something he seeks to make time for every day.
“Growing up we always spent time at the dining room table eating meals and chatting. It’s been important to me to try to do that as much as often because nowadays with technology it’s so easy to get lost in that and to forget about being present in the moment with your loved ones.”
But it isn’t just loved ones—given the chance, we asked Ty who he’d invite to a dinner party, living or dead. And one thing is for certain, it’d be quite the gathering:
“Reed Timmer: I have always been so fascinated with severe weather. I’ve chased down a storm before that I thought had a tornado in it. Reed is a storm chaser and I’d love to hear about some of his most terrifying experiences.
Serena Williams: I’ve been a huge tennis fan (playing and watching the
professional tour) for more than 2/3 of my life and I’ve cheered for Serena for years. She’s truly the GOAT and I think it’d be a blast to talk tennis and what she likes to eat for dessert.
Ree Drummond: I’ve loved watching The Pioneer Woman for such a long time and she seems like she’d be just the most enjoyable person to get to chat about cooking/baking with.
Ina Garten: Ina seems so down to earth, authentic, and would have endless stories to share about her and Jeffrey. It’d be so fun.
Dan Levy: My husband and I just rewatched Schitt’s Creek and Dan is so talented and funny. I think he’d bring a good sense of humor to the dinner party!”
So, whaddya say Dan? Ina? Ree? Serena? Have we mentioned there’ll be cookies?
Hungry for more? You can explore all of Ty’s delicious creations on his Instagram, @SchmidtyBakes, or via his blog, schmidtybakes.com. Or, give his Confetti Ice Cream Sandwiches or Confetti Ice Cream Pie recipes a try—we’ll bet you gobble ‘em all up!
JOIN THE CONVERSATION