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Ex-Bar Member Starts Baking, Breaks Into Reality TV

By Andrew Chow, Esq. on April 06, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Introducing our Ex-Lawyer of the Week: Esther Kang.

Kang walked away from a cushy gig as an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles to pursue her true passion: baking. It's not that she couldn't stand the heat of a demanding legal job. She just wanted to follow her heart into the kitchen.

Coincidentally, as Kang considered quitting the law, Fox began airing an American version of the reality/game show "MasterChef." Kang was torn:

"I watched it," ex-lawyer Esther Kang told Examiner.com, "but I couldn't watch it because I couldn't watch other people doing what I wanted to do."

After two months of self-deliberation -- "I was in exactly the kind of place I wanted to be, I just wasn't the person I thought I'd be," she told the website SheKnows.com -- Kang resigned from her law firm, and started her cooking career from scratch.

In fact, that's the name of her baking company: Batch from Scratch.

As if founding a fledgling bakery company wasn't hard enough, Kang stepped up to another challenge: Applying for a coveted spot on "MasterChef" Season 2. She made it onto the show, which debuted in June 2011, but was sent home in mid-July.

Kang remains unfazed.

"I think fear of failure is the stupidest thing to stop you from doing anything, you know?" Kang told Examiner.com. "I approached my education and my law career with the confidence that I'll get there someday, so why could I achieve one goal and [not] another?"

One of Esther Kang's latest confectionery creations is something lawyers may appreciate: caffeinated cookies. Jolted by espresso powder and featured in the Los Angeles Times, they're available by mail order via Kang's website, BatchFromScratch.com.

Meantime, ex-lawyer-turned-baker Esther Kang has also posted a YouTube video, featuring her unique recipe for apple pie, with a cheddar-stuffed crust:

Curious about other ways to use your JD, or how ex-lawyers have found success in other fields? Check back here for more ex-lawyer profiles and success stories. And if you have suggestions for our Ex-Lawyer of the Week series, let us know by posting your tip on our FindLaw for Legal Professionals Facebook page.

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