Suzanne Bigelow & Michael Maltese

Leo’s Bakery and Deli

Suzanne was born and raised in Rochester, NY. She creates custom cakes from her home kitchen for family and friends and also bakes professionally at Leo’s Bakery. In addition to her work as a baker, Suzanne is a nurse and currently works at a local nursing home, bringing the same care and dedication to both of her professions.

Michael was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Henrietta, NY. His love for cooking began early, growing up in an Italian household where he learned alongside his parents. After graduating from college, Michael discovered his passion for cake decorating while working at a local grocery store. With a strong background in art, the craft came naturally to him.

Michael studied design at RIT, further strengthening his creative foundation. He went on to work as a production associate at Leo’s Bakery and Deli, where he gained experience creating cookies, cakes, and pies on a large scale. He also continued to refine his cake decorating skills hands-on while working at Tops Friendly Markets.

Today, Michael is the Head Decorator at Leo’s Bakery and Deli, where he has truly honed his craft. His favorite baking tool is a tiny pair of scissors he uses to carefully transfer buttercream flowers from a rose nail, an essential he can’t live without.

Outside of the kitchen, Michael is a traditional artist who enjoys creating pet portraits and fan art. He primarily works in acrylic paint, watercolor, and linocut printmaking, bringing the same creativity to his art as he does to his baking.