Exclusive Interview with PanTheArt: Sriracha Pancakes

We met with PanTheArt, the creative genius behind those awesome Sriracha pancakes videos. We were curious to know...Just how do you create art out of pancakes? What do you do for a living? Are the pancakes edible? If you can make it past these amazing videos, (we binge watched them for 3 hours straight last weekend) check out our exclusive interview with PanTheArt....

S2G: What do you do for a living/are doing currently?
PTA: I am an airline pilot based in the West Coast of California.

S2G: What got you interested in creating art with pancakes?
PTA: Since I was a kid, I always loved drawing, and it's one of my hobbies. So one day I came across some pancake art videos on YouTube and I decided to give it a try. And here I am.

S2G: How long does it take to make your pancake creations?
PTA: Years! God no, it honestly depends, but just the drawing itself can take anywhere between 2-5 hours depending on the complexity of the art.

S2G: How long did it take you to learn how to make pancake art?
PTA: I am still learning, but I can say after two months from my first pancake, I was able to create decent looking pancakes.

S2G: What is your most favorite pancake design you have ever made?
PTA: Well, I love them all (even the burnt ones) but Mr. Potato head is my favorite so far.

Minor edit here, off the record. PanTheArt meant to say our Sriracha2Go Pancakes are his forever favorite.

S2G: What's your favorite thing about making pancake art?
PTA: The End result! When I flip it and get surprised by how it turned out, each and every time! Like wow these lines and doodles actually came together ... “Wow, that actually looks like something!” Makes me so proud that the amount of time I spent making the pancake was actually worth it!

S2G: Do you eat the pancakes? Are they edible?
PTA: Yes, of course I do. There are some exceptions. Sometimes they come out too amazing to be eaten, so I just leave them on my table as a reminder of how amazing art is and how versatile it can be! It also keeps me motivated seeing my creations and all the support I’ve received in the last couple months since
starting. They are 100% edible.

S2G: How long did it take you to create our Sriracha2Go pancakes? They are very intricate!
PTA: Well, the planning and practicing was about 2 days. The drawing itself about 3 hours. The eating process about 1 second!

S2G: What's the future look like for Pan the Art?
PTA: Though I wish I could say what my future has in store, I am uncertain as I am awaiting September to arrive to see if we discover any alien technology... No, but jokes aside, I’m studying all my options that come my way. Anything is POSSIBLE!

S2G: *laughs* Ok, so wait a second. Let's get this straight. First, you make amazing pancake art, next you tell us you're a pilot, and now you're referencing Area 51. Are you sure you're not Will Smith's Secret Agent or something?
PTA: *laughs* Unfortunately, I am not not Will Smith's agent. I wish I was. And thanks for the compliments.

S2G: You're welcome. What type of "equipment" do you use? Is there a special griddle you have? 
PTA: I just use a regular griddle, and two professional cameras. I have my lighting set, some squeezable bottles and a right hand to draw. Thank God for that!

S2G: What is the most challenging part of making pancake art?
PTA: Everything. I am an army of one. I do everything from setting the cameras, preparing the batter and colors, to drawing the pancake and editing the videos and finally I post it on my social media platforms!

S2G: Describe the process to us. Is it all out of pancake batter and dye? Do you first sketch out the idea before you put it on the griddle? How do you do it freehand so effortlessly? Is pancake batter hard to draw with?
PTA: Yes, it is just regular pancake batter and food coloring, nothing more. Yes, of course I spend a good 1-2 days practicing each drawing so I can get it right beforehand. I also do some practice drawings on the griddle. Though the video and its process is made to seem so effortless and easy because of time-lapse,
it indeed is not as smooth and easy as the video seems. The video is a couple hours long. I doubt anyone has time to watch a video that long...LOL! What viewers don’t actually get to see and hear is my cat occasionally walking right past the camera, my wife yelling in the background and the one or two (100
times) I’ve burned myself.

S2G: If our followers want to see more pancake videos, where can they find you online?
PTA:
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Snapchat

S2G: How many pancakes do you make per month?
PTA: That varies every month depending on the time I have off from work but for the most part, about 5-8 pancakes.

S2G: Is the batter regular batter people use at home, or is it a secret recipe for doing pancake art?
PTA: Yes, it's a regular batter. Sometimes I use a batter mix or I just mix my own with the regular ingredients.

S2G: How do you get your pancakes to look so perfect in complex shapes? We can barely get our pancakes to look like circles!
PTA: A lot of practice before hand, the key is to be patient and keep doing it over and over, until you get it right!

S2G: What's your favorite pancake topping to eat?
PTA: Oh boy, I like to eat my pancakes stuffed with Jam, strawberries and bananas, and topped with maple syrup and Nutella chocolate!!!

S2G: How many pancakes have you made in your whole pancake career to date?
PTA: I don’t have an accurate count but I would say between 60-80.

S2G: Are there any funny pancake fails that you would like to share with us?
PTA: Oh yes! These are the parts that aren’t shown in my time-lapse videos. I had a lot of fails, specially when I am flipping the pancakes, I had pancakes breaking apart on the flip or getting burnt, or turning to look like something totally different than what I tried to do. Unfortunately, I don’t save these videos because I shoot my videos in HD and they take a lot of space. But I am planning to keep copies of the failed pancake videos in the future. Who knows, maybe I’ll make a pancake fail compilation video!

S2G: We'd love to see that pancake fail video if you ever make it! Thanks for joining us today PanTheArt. This has been so fun and entertaining. And all of us at Sriracha2Go would like to thank you again for making those spicy pancakes for us. Keep It Spicy!
PTA: Thank you so much for doing this! I appreciate it!