RIVER FALLS — River Falls senior Gage Brunkhorst has always had a love for cooking and baking, eventually turning that spark into his own baking business.

Ever since Brunkhorst was young, he loved helping his mother out in the kitchen whenever he could. He would chop vegetables or do whatever he could to assist. He also remembers growing up watching Food Network, which sparked the interest further. In middle school, Brunkhorst found the most enjoyment from baking, so he leaned into it.

When Brunkhorst needed funds to take a school trip to Europe, he started a baking business called Gage’s Sweets for Switzerland. The business blew up outside of anything he could imagine, and he also helped create a baking-specific class for people to take at RFHS.

At his business, Brunkhorst baked for events including Sip and Shop at the Hastings Golf Club, weddings, baby and bridal showers and birthday parties. The first order he received was one he will remember forever.

“It was cookies, mini cheesecakes and a few cupcakes,” Brunkhorst said. “It was like, I’ve really established myself as a business.”

Because of the success, he continued the business which is now called Gage’s Sweets.

“I don’t bake anything like two-tiered cakes. I just bake a lot of handhelds,” Brunkhorst said. “But I can still bake a cake.”

His most popular items are the bundt cakes, cake pops and brown butter caramel snickerdoodles.

Brunkhorst plans to attend Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island for culinary schooling.

“During college, I plan to just work in the restaurant industry and try to provide my services the best way I can,” Brunkhorst said. “I still plan to work in the restaurant industry for a while, and hopefully open up a little store of mine down the road.”

The best part of the process for Brunkhorst is waiting to see if people will enjoy what he made.

“I like getting to share what I create with others and seeing how they react,” Brunkhorst said. “If they don’t like it, they can tell me, and then I can try to work on whatever they don’t like. If they like it, it just feels nice to know that they enjoyed something that I made.”

RFHS Family and Consumer Science Teacher Courtney Peter looked back on a memory from Brunkhorst’s junior year in a hospitality and restaurant management class. The class held a competition called “Beat Kit Luedtke” where students competed against the principal cooking entrees and desserts. Gage’s dessert bested the principal after the dishes were judged anonymously.

“Baking has brought me a lot of happiness and connections through other people, and I’ve just really enjoyed it,” Brunkhorst said.