Cherry Creek High School alumnus Jake Eskanos has always been what he calls a “tinkerer” in the kitchen.
“I grew up watching my dad cook, but I learned how to bake primarily from my mom and my bubby and my nana,” said Eskanos, who turned a lifelong love of baking into a successful side gig during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He and his wife, Randi, who is also a CCHS alum, and her brother and his wife, were part of the same “bubble” during the pandemic, and would often get together.
“My sister-in-law would make dinner and I would make dessert,” he said. “Carrot cake, apple pie – those are my signature items. But I’ve made everything from lemon tarts to éclairs to different mousses. I just love it.
“I’m all about trying new things,” he explained. “I like to test my limits in the baking world. Baking is very precise, I love that aspect.”
One night during the pandemic, his sister-in-law said “We’re going to build you an Instagram,” and Jake’s Sweet Bakes was born. Eskanos runs the business out of his home, taking orders through Instagram and email, mostly from family, friends, and social media followers.
“I ended up winning a local baking competition a couple of years ago, and it just kind of continued to grow,” Eskanos said. “It’s become my little side job. It’s an outlet to work the other side of the brain.”
Baking was one of many interests Eskanos had as a child. He grew up in the Cherry Creek School District, where he attended Polton Elementary, Campus Middle School, and Cherry Creek High School.
“Elementary school was amazing,” he recalls. “I still have very fond memories of music class with Judy Fredrickson and her husband Jack. I was in orchestra all the way through middle school. Creek was great. I still have friends from high school that I talk to on a daily basis.”
Eskanos graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 2006, ready for the challenges of higher education.
“All that time in CCSD set me up for doing things right, so I had the freedom to pursue my passions,” he said.
The culinary “tinkerer” and music lover headed to the University of Colorado at Boulder. You might have expected him to study hospitality or music. Instead, Eskanos earned a degree in communication with a certification in mediation, thinking he might go into social work or a legal field. However, a chance opportunity landed him in the healthcare industry, where he spent a decade working in software development. He recently moved into the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.
Eskanos says his time in Cherry Creek Schools helped prepare him for the challenges he’s faced in different positions and industries, and as an entrepreneur.
“All those years in school, getting comfortable being able to converse with different people, learning my passions… It set me up for my future. I really enjoyed my time there!” he said.
He offers this advice for others who may be wondering whether to try something new or different:
“Just give it a shot!” he said.
Posted 10/16/2024.
