Photos: Russian boxer-turned-pastry chef makes desserts that look like dazzling works of art

Renat Agzamov

, former Russian boxing champion turned pastry chef, has made a stunning transition from the ring to the kitchen, captivating global audiences with his spectacular cakes. Known for his intricate, larger-than-life creations, Agzamov has become a sensation in the world of haute patisserie.
A champion of creativity
Once feted for the excellence in the ring, this is Agzamov now, at 43. His precision and focus nowadays is all about cake. Indeed, edible masterpieces may seem an understatement as that was his latest: a three-layered chocolate cake molded as if an alien dripped its chocolate-caramel “Saliva.”.

He’s becoming the next big thing called ‘IT’ guy for baking. Renat is on the world press. In it is described by the international press as “A fusion of imagination and sheer culinary genius,” CNN terms it “a craftsman in redefining the art and the borders of the baked good.”

The show-off Castle Cake
One of his most outstanding designs is a castle-shaped wedding cake over nearly four meters tall made for Madina Shokirova, daughter of the Russian oil tycoon Ilkhom Shokirova. It weighed 1,500 kilograms—like a middle-sized car. It would take three men to carry that around. It had features like a horse-drawn carriage, arched windows, and figurines on it. The edible masterpiece reportedly cost £128,000. (Approximately INR 1.4 million.)

Humble beginnings and relentless drive
Although Agzamov is known for his luxurious cakes, he claims to work with any kind of customer. “I make not only huge cakes but also small, original ones. We work with any customer,” he said to Russia Beyond.

Agzamov started baking when he was a child, inspired by his grandmother’s desserts. After retirement from boxing, he began baking, taking an unpaid job at a confectionery cafe in Krasnogorsk to hone his skills. He remembers taking lots of short-term jobs in Moscow bakeries, learning trade secrets through sheer determination. Talking about his journey, Agzamov in one of his interviews, said, “In six months, I changed seven jobs to gain knowledge.”. It wasn’t entirely fair, but I was so obsessed with learning that I couldn’t have expanded my skills otherwise.”

Dreaming bigger
Agzamov’s motto, “Never stop at what has been achieved and constantly improve,” continues to drive his creativity. His dream project? A wedding cake with a beating heart, made possible through innovative caramel technology.

From boxing accolades to culinary acclaim, Renat Agzamov’s story is a testament to reinvention, creativity, and the pursuit of passion. As BBC Food aptly put it, “He’s not just baking cakes; he’s crafting dreams.”
(Images courtesy: Instagram/@renat_agzamov)