Mimi Milord | Contributing Illustrator

When they started filming casual cheesecake reviews, first-years Jack Judge and Alex van der Voort didn’t expect to rack up thousands of views on TikTok. Now they can’t even go through a StudLife interview without being recognized. 

“I’m telling you, like, the ego’s at an all-time high,” van der Voort said. 

What began as an infatuation for cheesecake has turned into a local internet sensation. Having gained a large following, their TikTok account, @cheesecake.lovers2, is tasked with educating the WashU public on various cheesecakes found on campus. Each video features the pair trying out a new cheesecake, discussing its flavor, then ending with a final out-of-10 rating for each pastry. 

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s a lot of intuition. You know when you can like, feel a good cheesecake?” van der Voort said. 

Introduced by a mutual friend, Judge and van der Voort first met at the gym. A few weeks later, they ended up at Cafe Bergson together, where they split a fateful slice of a classic cheesecake. 

“We were like, that’s kind of gas. We should do mukbang videos of this,” van der Voort said. 

It wasn’t until the two shared a Peach Hot Honey Cheesecake from Corner 17 a few weeks later that the idea to start a TikTok account really began. 

“All the cheesecake has been good. We were like, we’ve gotta start reviewing these,” Judge said. 

Since then, they’ve dedicated themselves to reviewing the many cheesecakes on the WashU campus. Although the two wouldn’t exactly describe themselves as TikTok savvy, with the help of a few friends who serve as their cameramen, their videos quickly gained traction. And with that traction came recognition. 

“One person told us their mom sent them the video, and that’s how they knew it. A lot of people have other people that don’t go to WashU sending them our videos being like, ‘Do you know these guys?’” van der Voort said. 

Even during our brief conversation at Corner 17, we were interrupted by a fan of the Cheesecake Lovers, stopping by to say hello — just one of the many interactions they’ve had on and off campus, of which Judge recounted shortly after.

“It’s like 12:30 and we’re a mile off campus and walking back, and these two random girls are like ‘Oh my gosh, you guys are the cheesecake lovers.’ Just like, the weirdest places and times,” Judge said. 

But their growing audience has created a new problem: their supply of novel WashU cheesecake flavors is dwindling. The duo has considered various options, including going past WashU’s borders to the rest of St. Louis or even starting to make their own cheesecakes. 

“We should pull up to SLU [Saint Louis University]. That’d be really funny,” Judge said.  

Mimi Milord | Contributing Illustrator

Nevertheless, the future of their account remains uncertain, as Judge and van der Voort consider how far they can stray from their brand: WashU’s Cheesecake Lovers.

“We’re cheesecake lovers, not cheesecake makers,” van der Voort said.

Despite these uncertainties, one thing these two reviewers are certain about is where to find the best cheesecake at WashU and in the surrounding area. Find below the Cheesecake Lovers’ exclusive ranking of all the cheesecakes they’ve tried so far. 

1. Cinnabon Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory
2. Caramel Brownie Cheesecake from Corner 17 Cafe
3. Plain cheesecake from Cafe Bergson
4. White Chocolate Blueberry Cobbler Cheesecake from Corner 17 Cafe
5. Peach Hot Honey Cheesecake from Corner 17 Cafe
6. Crème Brûlée Cheesecake from Corner 17 Cafe
7. Tiramisu Cheesecake from Corner 17 Cafe

So what’s next for WashU’s Cheesecake Lovers? Whether it’s expanding out to St. Louis or cooking up their own recipes, it is clear that the love they have for cheesecake is far from over.

“Just regular people doing God’s work,” van der Voort said.