By Breanna Call, SVI Media
Ty Larkin moved to Star Valley in 2021. Having worked on the Las Vegas strip as a professional pastry chef for years, she was ready for a different atmosphere. “I was working 60-hour workweeks,” says Larkin. “After COVID—it shut down literally the whole entire strip—my fiancé and I kind of looked at each other and wanted a different change of life, different pace.” Larkin and her fiancé, Matt, certainly found a contrasting way of life when they moved to Star Valley. The bustling sun- beaten streets were replaced with mellow two-lanes and falling snowflakes. The pair worked as chefs at the Snake River Sporting Club in Jackson, and now, Larkin works from home with her business Treats by Ty.
“I’m actually doing a cake right now,” says Larkin, “which is all cowgirl-themed, which is really fun! It’s for a bridal shower, and I just think that’s so unique. It fits the Valley, cause in Las Vegas, I would have never made a cowgirl-themed bridal shower cake. But for here in the Valley, it totally makes sense. It’s my first time doing this design, so I’m learning and having fun at the same time and seeing what my community wants, seeing their cake styles compared to what I was doing in Las Vegas.”
Though Larkin finds herself in a new area with different client needs, she says, “I want to challenge myself by starting from the ground up, doing something totally new with the new clientele, the new demand. I find it just extremely humbling and totally different from Las Vegas clients—but it’s more rewarding.”
Having graduated from culinary school and taking part in opening fine dining restaurants, Larkin feels comfortable making just about any dessert. “Although, I do cakes because it’s extremely fun, my passion is baking and pastry. So I love doing pâte à choux, croquembouches, high-end tarts. I also was a chocolatier for a little while. I just love doing and creating fun delicious desserts, whether that’s a birthday cake for your child or if it’s going to be an extravagant dessert platter.”
To see examples of Larkin’s baked goods, follow her on Instagram (@treatsbyty). “I’m willing to work with my clients,” says Larkin. “If they’re vegan or gluten-free, I have that experience. . . . If you tell me you’re doing your wedding but you don’t want a wedding cake you want a dessert bar, we could totally sketch up some ideas and talk about what kind of desserts you like. . . . Definitely whatever the customer wants, we can make.”
“It’s been so fun to have my customers pick out and show me pictures [of desserts they want],” adds Larkin. “They’re like, ‘Have you done this before?’ and I’m like, ‘No, but I’m comfortable with it and let’s do it together.’ So it’s been a learning curve the last year and a half for sure but in a good way. I’m learning; I’m just advancing my skills. The community is doing that for me, so it’s been really cool.”
To place an order at Treats by Ty, contact Ty Larkin at treatsbyty@aol.com or (702) 334-6930. “I put so much love and passion into these cakes,” says Larkin, “that when I can pass them off to someone else, it just it makes my day. That’s why I do it. I do it for everyone else’s pleasure. It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding at the same time. . . . Thank you for letting me be here and be a part of your community and accepting me. I look forward to many more years in the Valley and expanding Treats by Ty for the community.”
