OCONEE COUNTY, Ga. — A local teen's cheesecake business is booming.
On Thursday, Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen introduced viewers to 15-year-old Jack Leach and his passion for baking.
[READ MORE: 15-year-old with autism wins 1st in county baking competition]
The Oconee County teen, who has autism and is nonverbal, won the Taste of Oconee contest for whipping up the best dessert.
Petersen found that within just 24 hours, more than 60 orders were placed for his cheesecakes.
From the moment the teen first baked a cheesecake and took it to school for his teachers, the crowd called out for more.
"(People said), ‘You guys need to start selling these. These are the best cheesecakes we have ever had.’ And so, we did," father Brent Leach said.
Brent Leach told Petersen his cellphone and Facebook are now blowing up.
He's asking new customers for patience.
The teen’s grandma taught him how to bake, and this past weekend at the Taste of Oconee event, his bite-sized morsels were a huge hit.
“The cheesecakes were going out so fast, my wife was in the back portioning out more. We were getting to where we were down to, like, three or four little cups. I was sending my kids: ‘Run to mom! Tell here we need them. Help her out,’” Brent Leach said.
There were also three dozen local restaurants that entered the contest, too. However, Jack took the cake (pun intended).
"But when they announced Jack's cheesecake as the best dessert, I got super excited, and Jack got a big smile on his face. We had to wrangle him up to where they were giving the award out. Nobody told Jack to go stand there, because we didn't really know we would win," Brent Leach said.
Now that there are so many orders to fill, Jack’s hobby may turn into a long-term business.
Here’s more on Jack’s Cheesecake.
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