Linda owns the DO IT WITH ICING cake shop in San Diego. She has been decorating for 39 years and teaching for 29 years. She is a former Wilton instructor and has taught Cake Decorating and Gourmet Cooking in Adult Ed classes as well as Baking & Pastry in two Junior College Food Service Programs. Linda has taught at 6 previous Mini-Classes (Cake Camps). She has won numerous awards including Best of Show 3 times. Linda has demonstrated in several states and has had several articles in American Cake Decorating Magazine. She has been featured on Food Network's Top 5 Show, and regularly appears on local San Diego television. Linda is President of the L Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) San Diego chapter, and is the President of the California Cake Club.
Bommarito is a graduate (1997, Blue Ribbon Status) of The Institute of Culinary Education (formerly, Peter Kumps New York Cooking School) located in the heart of Manhattan, NY. She is accredited in the Culinary Arts. In addition to her culinary degree, she received her Undergraduate Degree from The University of Michigan in 1990 where she earned a BSA in Marketing Management, with a Minor in Psychology. For the past 10 years, Bommarito was Sole-Proprietor of her own company Michelle Bommarito LLC, which designed and created Wedding cakes, Cookies and Fine Pastries. During those years, Bommarito also shared her passion for cooking by offering an array of Culinary courses. In 2009, Bommarito stepped completely out of the Bake Shoppe and is now focusing on expanding her teachings throughout the United States of America and Internationally. Currently Bommarito travels extensively to offer “Eating Well” Speaking Engagements, Super Power Food Culinary Demonstrations, Inspirational Wedding Cake Design Workshops and to judge Competitions
Debbie Brown is a well-known and one of the most prolific writers of cake sculpture and sugarcraft. Based in West London in the UK, she works in her studio writing and designing when she’s not extensively traveling the world teaching and promoting cake sculpture and sugarcraft. Now with 16 titles authored, there are plans to have new titles ready for end 2011 and early 2012. For information on her work, see her website.
Susan Carberry, is the proud owner of The Cake Cottage. Early in 2008 one of her dreams became reality. She opened a retail store in the beautiful City of Murrieta, California. Her mission is to provide her clients with the best retail cake decorating supplies, Specialty Sugar Art classes for the surrounding communities. Since opening she has diversified and currently sells cupcakes in seventeen fabulous flavors. A Bit of Background: Susan enrolled in her first class about 10 years ago and after that the "Game was On"!!! She just couldn't get enough of this wonderful world of Sugar Art. Susan then began entering cake shows, joining local cake clubs, and then proceeded to start teaching cake decorating classes just one year later. Approximately one year after that she began working as the Lead Cake Designer for a bakery in Dana Point, California, helping it to become one of the most sought out bakeries in Orange County. During that time, she was also privileged enough to start giving Sugar Art Instruction and Demonstrations across the nation. Susan’s "Edible Works of Art" have won numerous awards and have been featured in magazines such as American Cake Decorator, as well as on the Food Network's show "Top Five". Recently Susan competed in TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off. The cake theme was Roller Derby. She skated away with the Grand Prize of $10,000.
Norman, an award-winning Chocolatier/ Pastry Chef and is the owner of The Sweet Life, Inc., a custom cakery in Annandale, Virginia. He is famous for his White Chocolate Curl Cake and his three-dimensional chocolate figurines. Norman is a member of ICES, GWACC, and is a charter member of CASANOVA. In addition to being a former Virginia ICES representative and former cake club president for CASANOVA, Norman was the Show Cake Chairman for the 2004 ICES Convention in Washington, DC. He is currently a committee member of the annual National Capital Area Cake Show. Norman is an ICES Hall of Fame inductee and a Certified Master Sugar Artist, one of only eleven in the USA. Norman has just been named as one of Dessert Professional's Top Ten Cake Artist of 2010. Norman has demonstrated at the Smithsonian, and he taught at Stratford College School of Culinary Arts. He is often featured on the TV show Historic Tours and Recipes, and he has appeared on Fox 5 News. He has competed in twelve Food Network Challenges and now filming with TLC/Discovery. Winning TLC (Ultimate Cake Off)... Dream Wedding and was commissioned by the Washington Post to create a cake for President Clinton. He has also been featured in Cakes & Sugarcraft, Cake Craft & Decoration, Food Art, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, Pastry Art & Design Magazine, People Magazine (A Cake From Every State where he was chosen to represent VA), and has been frequently featured in American Cake Decorating Magazine. Norman is working on a new book, Cakes on the Cutting Edge, with Zane Beg.
Zane is a shining star in cake decorating with no formal training, but with an unlimited creative sense. He has worked on cakes for eighteen years and shown no sign of slowing down. He loves to create cakes that have great movement and flow to them. In addition to decorating cakes, Zane enjoys traveling to teach and demonstrate. He specializes in detailed, hand-painted cakes and molded chocolate. He also creates beautiful bows and accessories with Choco-Pan. Zane is a real estate broker in Virginia and has worked with The Sweet Life for last sixteen years. He is married to Shazia and has two girls, Malayka who is 7 and enjoys working with fondant (it’s never too early to get children started), and Haaniah who is 4. Zane has participated in thirteen Food Network Challenges; on his first solo challenge, he took 2nd place (should have taken 1st) and now filming with TLC/Discovery (Ultimate Cake Off). He has demonstrated at ICES conventions and Cake & Sugar Artists of Northern Virginia meetings. His work has also appeared in American Cake Decorating Magazine. He designed the detailed painting, food styling, layout and editing of the book, Wedding Cake Ensembles. Look for his work in the upcoming book that he is co-authoring with Norman R. Davis, Cakes on the Cutting Edge
Toba Garrett is a renowned cake artist, teacher, and author for 30+ years. She heads the department of cake decorating and design at the prestigious Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. She has been there for 18 years. She is the author of four books – Wedding Cake Art and Design – A Professional Approach, Professional Cake Decorating, The Well-Decorated Cake and Creative Cookies – Delicious Decorating for Any Occasion. She has just completed the second edition of Professional Cake Decorating to be released in 2011 and she is currently working on her 5th book. In 2010, she was selected as one of the top 10 cake artist in the US by Dessert Professional Magazine.
Dianne Gruenberg has 45 yrs experience as Cake Decorator & 22 yrs as an instructor, cake show judge and demonstrator in the USA, Canada and U.K. Is a member of the British Sugar Craft Guild and an approved instructor for ICES. She has appeared on the Food Network the Tulsa show, TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off twice and on a winning team. Appeared on local TV, magazines in USA and U.K., newspapers, etc. Dianne is the USA connection for Sugar City UK and is the owner of Sweet Choices Decorating School and A Wedding & Gift Boutique in Bay City, MI.
Linda has been cake decorating and candy making for over 25 years. She has owned and operated , A&J Cake and Candy Supply, a successful cake and candy supply store since 1974. Linda has been a student of Betty Lloyd of Apollo Mold and Elaine Gonzales a chocolate arts educator and author. She has given demos for ICES, 3C’s, San Diego Cake Club, church groups, social clubs, cable TV and city functions.
After graduating with a degree from Southern Methodist University, Lauren was faced with the question that greets all college graduates. Now what am I supposed to do? She threw caution to the wind and decided to focus on what had long been her passion: cakes. In the spring of 2002, she opened Fancy Cakes by Lauren as a boutique wedding cake studio in Dallas, Texas. She quickly became a premiere cake artist in the local wedding and event industry by working personally with each client and creating breathtaking cakes that mix contemporary and traditional designs inspired by gowns, art, and textiles. In 2008, the producers at Food Network took one look at her work and invited her to compete in her first Food Network Challenge. She went on to win two gold-medals for her outstanding 3D characters and designs. Challenge has given Lauren the opportunity to explore the artistically enriching realm of replica and sculpted cakes and has catapulted her to great success in her business. Recently, Lauren has begun sharing her expertise with cakes professionals and enthusiasts all over North America with a selection of imaginative cake decorating classes and demos. She loves traveling the country, meeting others who share her same passion for cake.
SmackDown!!! Modeling Chocolate vs. Fondant & Gumpaste
Saturday 11:30a-1:30p
Kathleen Lange
Cake Design Artist, Instructor & Owner of Confectionary Chalet in San Diego, California. She has been decorating and teaching confectionery arts, since 1980; specializing in the foreign technique, known as the "Lambeth Method. She started decorating at age 15 and started teaching the same year for Wilton at age 16; Wilton’s youngest teacher. She has received several awards for teaching and Wilton's highest career achievement award, Imperial Club, in 2000; recognition for 21 years of teaching between six to eight thousand students during her career with Wilton. She has owned and operated her own bakery, demonstrated and taught for numerous events throughout the country; Wilton instructor meetings, Art Institute of California in Sacramento, Adult Schools, Oklahoma Sugar Art Academy, bakery owners & personnel, San Diego women's clubs, Girl Scouts, cake clubs and shows in the United States. Kathleen has also been featured in the Food Section of San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper, San Diego Channel 10 News, Channel 8 News, American Cake Decorating Magazine and interviewed on San Diego Radio Station with Jack White and honored to be a guest and participant on a few “Get Crafty,” info-commercial segments, for a local craft and floral supply store.
Nancy Linstead is a Sugar Artist and Instructor living in San Diego, CA where she currently teaches fondant, gumpaste, modeling chocolate and cupcake workshops at Do It With Icing. She has been decorating cakes for 32 years and enjoys sharing her sugar passion with her students. She is also a Gluten Free Baker on Gluten Free diet since 1995 when she was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Nancy presented a lecture on Baking and Decorating for the Gluten Intolerant last year at the 2010 ICES Convention and has a blog called “Fear No Wheat” (www.fearnowheat.com) which covers many aspects of cake decorating and baking Gluten Free. When not baking or dreaming about cake, she is working at her telecommunications job in Rancho Bernardo, CA.
Little did Nicholas Lodge know that when he started training to become a chef where this path would eventually lead him to. The field of sugar art has transported him around the world, introduced him to Royalty and celebrities, and has opened numerous doors to exotic locations that most people only dream about. The author of over one dozen books, Nicholas teaches and demonstrates his unique skills around the world. Over the years his teaching tours have taken him to twenty-six different countries, and he has introduced sugar art into unlikely places such as India, China and Fiji. He is internationally known, not only for his unique skills in sugar art, but also for the quality of his demonstrations and classes, at which he inspires enthusiasm in everyone who attends. This reputation has also involved him in judging sugar art events around the globe. The base of operation for Nicholas is Atlanta, Georgia where his classroom, warehouse, and retail gallery is all located under one roof. Nicholas was inducted into the International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES) Hall of Fame in 2001, being the youngest person ever to receive this honor. Nicholas is a Chef instructor at the French Pastry School in Chicago where he has begun teaching a new sixteen-week cake decorating program. Currently, Nicholas is a spokes person for Albert Uster Imports, and conducts demonstration road shows throughout the United States. In 2010 Nicholas was honored by receiving both the Top 10 Cake Artist and Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America, making Nicholas the only person to have received both awards in the same year.
Mike McCarey’s Career in cake started right out of high school with a two-year term at a cooking school in Denver, Colorado. From there, he worked as a pastry chef at various hotels, caterers, restaurants, and bakeries in Colorado and New York. It was in Washington State where Mike decided to release his inner sculptor and focus on cake exclusively. He started his company, Mike’s Amazing Cakes, and has been shaping and smoothing butter, batter and chocolate ever since. His cake “art” is guided by two principles: the concept being presented should be as accurate and true to lice or as animated as possible, and should have as unique a perspective as can be conjured up. The structural principles of architecture constantly influence Mike’s work, and he draws inspiration from a wide range of illustrators such as Alphonse Mucha, Norman Rockwell, and James Christensen. Mike’s focus on unusual and cutting edge design, accurate to scale replication and the ability to ship across the country, has earned him a diverse clientele, including Dustin Hoffman, Arnold Palmer, Rodney Dangerfield and Julia Child. The same diversity extends to the corporate world, from Disney to Microsoft to Starbucks and The Smithsonian. Mike is recognized as a leader at his craft, developing new and creative techniques in the world of cake sculpture, winning many awards.
From Hobby to Business to Cake TV (and Everything in Between)
Saturday 4p - 6p
Cecilia Morana
Cecilia Morana has been an ICES member since 2000, and she has also been California Cake Club member since 2004. She has been directing her own Cake Decorating and Cold Porcelain School in Buenos Aires, Argentina; since 2000. Her Fine Arts studies helped her to develop her own cake decorating teaching method. Since 2000, her school has organized Expo Tortas and Cold Porcelain Works. Expo Tortas is an annual exhibition where the students present their final works. All these works are original designs. Expo Tortas is visited every year by about 5000 people, and it is sponsored by important argentine companies. In Expo Tortas are presented more than 300 works. Since 2003 her school has been organizing The Cake Decorating International Competition. She worked in television 9 years. She has written three book “The Magic of Cake Decorating” in Spain, “The Sugar Fairies” in England and “Decorated Cakes for Kids” in Argentina and she is co-author of a Cake decorating Book of Utilisima in Argentina and been specialist in different cake decorating magazines. And this year the new book: Tortas para chicos ( Cakes for kids ). She has been travelling and teaching cake decorating and cold porcelain since 1999. She has been teaching in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay.
Colette has been decorating cakes and teaching all over the world since 1989, when she started Colette’s Cakes in New York City. She has written 5 books on cake decorating and helped create the first Food Network Challenge. She has made cakes for customers all over the world, including the Prince of Greece, Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg, the Rolling Stones, Yoko Ono, Bette Midler, many Broadway plays, movies, and commercials. She has won many awards and has appeared on many television cake challenges, as a participant or a judge. She is currently working on a new book.
Since I was a small child, I enjoyed making all kinds of handcrafts. As I grew up, I started taking classes: Paper Mache, Cold Porcelain, Sewing, Jewelry, and many other handcraft activities. My passion for handcrafts became my way of making a living. Eighteen years ago, I became the owner of Fiestitodo, a store where we sell all kinds of baking, cake decorating and handcraft supplies. As the demand for cake decorating and other courses increased I started to create other artistic edible crafts. This is when I created the 3D Gelatin Desserts technique, which is one of the crafts I like the most. This inspired me to create a new company, GELART FLORAL, which is exclusively dedicated to the 3D Gelatin art. For more than fifteen years. I have practiced and developed this innovative technique for 3-D floral gelatin desserts. My current catalogue includes more than seventy different flowers and other designs and figures. I have also designed and produced the tools necessary to improve the process of creating 3D gelatins. I teach other courses such as candy (chocolate), artistic and real chocolate, Wilton Method Cake Decorating, Sugarpaste/Fondant, Gum Paste, Gingerbread Cookies and Houses, Three Dimensional Gelatin Desserts, etc. I currently live in Mexico City. However, I have taught hundreds of customized courses on different techniques creating artistic gelatin desserts, not only in Mexico but also internationally in countries such as USA, and some countries of South America. Many people have traveled to Mexico City to take my classes. I have appeared in some of the most important TV shows, Culinary Fairs, Expositions, and Gastronomic Festivals in Mexico and in monthly national bakery and gelatin desserts specialized publications as well as some international magazines and books. I have demonstrated at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show (2003), and I also participated in the Wedding Contest in 2006 winning Silver. I have also demonstrated at ICES 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010. I won the First Place in the National Gelatins Contest in Mexico City. Creating 3D Gelatin Desserts has provided me with the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and be as creative and expressive as possible. I love to create new designs in different mediums such as Gelatin, Fondant, and Gumpaste. The creation of these gelatins allows for flavor to be captured into art.
Ruth is a former attorney and administrative law judge, who now owns Oklahoma City’s premier bake shop, called Ruth’s Sweete Justice Bakery. She made the switch to cakes in 1994 and quickly fell in love with the creativity decorating cakes offered. After being named the top bakery manager in the world for all the IGA stores, Ruth opened her shop in 1999. Ruth has been seen on all 3 networks that have cake programming. She won WE tv’s Wedding Cake Wars, she assisted Pat Jacoby’s team twice in their victories on TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off and she has been featured in 3 different Food Network specials about the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show. Her cakes have graced the pages of national and international publications for years. Ruth travels the country teaching and demonstrating numerous techniques in the world of sugarcraft. Ruth operates the Oklahoma Sugar Art Academy, which brings in instructors from around the world to teach in Oklahoma City. You will find Ruth at several cake competitions each year, where she regularly takes home lots of ribbons. Ruth has placed in the top 10 a half a dozen times at various wedding competitions from the east coast to the prestigious Oklahoma Sugar Art Show. Ruth was recently given The Sweet Life Hall of Fame award at the National Capital Area Cake Show in Virginia. She is also one of only 16 ICES Certified Master Sugar Artists in the world!
Owner of About the Cake in Avon Ohio, Becky’s passion for decorating stems from her childhood. Specializing in sculpted and unusual cakes, she has received several awards for her work. Also included in her portfolio is a variety of cakes currently and previously featured on American Greetings cards, the pages of Today’s Bride Magazine and Wedding Cakes, A Design Source. She is also the author of “The Top Shelf Baker – Sweet Treats From a Well-Stocked Bar”. Becky is a free-lance instructor and judge, which has taken her across the country and allows her to share her passion of the art of cake decorating.
“Do what makes you happy!” says James Rosselle who is passionate about where life has taken him. After graduating from the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, James eagerly approached an opportunity to work with master cake designer Ron Ben Israel in New York City. Much of James’ artistry and technique is derived from the teachings of Ron Ben Israel and his emphasis on detail, creativity and color. Art, fashion and NATURE are inspirations for his cakes. Chicago was the next pastry destination. James quickly accepted a position with acclaimed pastry chef Gale Gand, co-owner of TRU restaurant and creator of Food Network’s “Sweet Dreams”. While at TRU, James honed his pastry skills with the guidance and knowledge of Gale Gand. “Learning about kitchen dynamics, recipe development and Gale’s concepts of plated desserts was unforgettable. It was time to move on from Chicago and move back to the east coast, Florida, this time. “I think it is appropriate to say… save the best for last”! While in Florida, James worked for the renowned sugar artist and chocolatier Ewald Notter. At the Notter School, James worked on the Notter chocolate praline line produced in the school kitchens. James was also a chef instructor in the 24 week European Pastry and Baking Program at the Notter School. Additionally, James can be seen on the Food Network’s Challenge Series. He has competed in several cake challenges; Sweet 16, Surprise Engagement Cakes, Extreme Holiday Cakes, and Roller Derby Cakes. James has impressively accomplished a feat in itself, winning all four challenges he has competed. James has also traveled the United States teaching classes on his renowned sugar flower artistry and cake design. He has taught for Kerry Vincent at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show, Notter School of Pastry Arts in Florida, Fondarific in Savannah, Guittard Chocolate, and California Cake Camp in Las Vegas 2010, to name a few.
B. Keith Ryder has been decorating cakes since 1996. Prior to that, he worked in both professional and amateur theatre for over 20 years. He is a shop owner, cake show judge, two-term ICES President, current ICES Treasurer and Board Chairman, former ICES representative and local cake club president, and occasional contributor to American Cake Decorating Magazine. He was the cake room chairman for the 2004 ICES Convention in Washington, DC; Keith was the co-director of the annual Mid-Atlantic Cake Show and Wedding Cake Competition for 3 years, and is now the director of the National Capital Area Cake Show in Virginia. He has won numerous awards for his unique designs; he placed 6th of 65 in the Wedding Cake Competition at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show in 2005, and can be seen prominently featured in the Food Network Special that was filmed during that event. Keith’s work has been featured in both the Washington Post and the Washington Times, and he is an internationally recognized instructor in the sugar arts.
Kathy is the owner/decorator of Sweet Expressions Bakery in Abbeville, SC, a locally owned, independent custom bakery. Kathy has over 35 years of baking and decorating experience and has taken numerous classes and seminars with teachers from all over the world. She herself is an internationally-known decorator, demonstrator, teacher, and sugar art judge. Her cakes have been featured in the ICES magazine and has won many competitions. Kathy recently competed on Season 2 of the Ultimate Cake Off and won first place in the American Cancer Society's Celebrity Chef Challenge. Kathy is an ICES member and has served three terms on the Board of Directors ~ serving twice as the President and five times as the Chairman of the Board and is the co-show director of the 2011 Carolina ICES Convention . She is a Retail Bakery Association Certified Decorator (CD) and was in the first group to receive certification as an ICES Certified Master Sugar Artist (CMSA). Kathy travels extensively to promote ICES and the sugar arts and is always looking to develop new products to add to her line of impression mats, silicone molds, and petit fours molds.
Fay formerly owned and operated the Mod Shop Of Cake Decorating in Bakersfield, Ca for 22 years. She taught cake decorating for over 38 years , which includes Wilton and Lambeth Technique ,Fay has taught at many 3C’s . Cake Camp mini classes. She is a former ICES Board member and past President of 3C’s, and current board member .She also has done many presentations on Television. She was founder of Frostings Belles Cake Club in Bakersfield. In her pass time she plays the fiddle, guitar and piano.
Diane Simmons lives in a small town near Jackson, Michigan and is married with two teenage children. She learned to decorate cakes as a teenager, but began decorating for others beyond family and friends in 1990. In the early 2000’s, she began competing, and at her first ever visit to the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show (dubbed the “Superbowl of Cake Competitions”), she was incredibly honored to be awarded 2nd Runner Up in the Wedding Cake Competition. Her work has been featured in several publications in the US as well as internationally. Following her dreams, she opened a supply shop in Jackson in 2007 with the loving support of her family. In 2008, Diane developed the method and products to create gelatin flowers and bows, and she now travels the country teaching classes, and introducing her products. She has just recently launched her latest product line, "Sugar Dippers", which are simplifying the process of creating sugar, isomalt, and chocolate flowers & butterflies for cake decorators.
Michaelle was born in Detroit MI, and raised in Pontiac, MI. She married Michael Stidham in 1969 and had two children, Matthew and Mindy. She graduated from Oakland Community college with a culinary arts degree. Then worked at Knollwood Country Club until she earned her certified working pastry chef (cwpc) credentials through the American Culinary Foundation in 1992. Michaelle’s career continued as she became a culinary instructor at Washtenaw and Oakland Community colleges for over 17 years. In May of 1995, Michelle discovered ICES (International cake Exploration Societe`). She served as the Michigan ICES Rep. in 2001-2004, and is currently a retired ICES board member, and an alternate MI Rep. She has won several gold medals in wedding cake & gingerbread house competitions. Also taking 2nd place in the Mid-Atlantic cake show in Maryland in 2007 & 2008. She has been featured in many magazines and newspaper articles throughout the years. She is currently teaching at Oakland community college, many Cake & candy shops, and at many state ICES Days of sharing. Her passion to share with others all the knowledge she has learned so sugar art will live on forever. In July of 2009 Diane Simmons and Michaelle launched their first book on Gelatin, (Gelatin in Bloom) at the ICES convention in Illinois. Now book two, (Gelatin still blooming), is in print and available online and in many cake shops.
Marina Sousa is owner and designer of Just Cake, located in the Monterey Bay area of California. Marina’s work has been featured in many national magazines including InStyle, Brides, Modern Bride and Wedding Style. Most recently, Marina was thrilled to be a guest on the “Oprah Winfrey Show”, acknowledged as one of the top cake designers in the country. Marina is often seen on the Food Network where she has served as a judge and most impressively clinched first place multiple times on "Food Network - Challenge". The Food Network has featured her work on several specials… she was chosen to create the wedding cake for the winners of "Food Network Caters your Las Vegas Wedding" as well as create a showpiece cake for the first ever “Food Network Awards”. Marina’s favorite appearance was Fantasy Weddings where she had the honor of making the wedding cake for her friend, Keegan Gerhard, pastry chef and host of the Food Network “Challenge’. Additionally, She has had the privilege of designing cakes for high-profile celebrities and celebrity events including wedding cakes for Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston, Rachel Welch and most recently she created a sweet 16 cake for Miley Cyrus. Marina brings a unique perspective to the art of designing cakes. Her background in theatre and fashion allow her to envision designs through an uncommon lens. Experimenting with structure and defying gravity are equally as intriguing to her as replicating intricate lace. Sugar art has proved to be the perfect medium for exploring all facets of the arts – for Marina, the ideal merging of artistry and passion.
Sweet Southern Ladies – Martha Hebert and Rebecca Guidry
Martha and Becky, born and raised on their grandfather’s farm in Cajun Country, are real sisters! As graduates of the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, the sisters hold Bachelor of Science degrees in Vocational Home Economics Education; while Martha earned another in Elementary Education and Becky, a Masters in Education. The sisters have published a book entitled “Sweet Treasures” and have produced 2 educational and entertaining DVD’s on using the Cricut Cake and more. They teach cake construction and design classes across the nation and internationally. They’ve developed a new line of support systems and towers and have been seen as winners of TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off. Martha and Becky are active members of the International Cake Exploration Society and the Retail Bakers Association. They will be teaching on Cake Cruise in October for 7 days from New York to Bermuda, along with Colette Peters and Toba Garrett.
Peggy Tucker is a professional Cake Designer and sugar artist specializing in teaching this fine art. She started out creating cakes in Rochester, Minnesota and surrounding communities in 1995, and has since decided to focus on the one aspect that she truly loves; teaching. In 2003 she began teaching the art of Cake Decorating. She has continued to expand that part of her business to the point that I opened the School of Cakeology in 2009. She takes great joy in watching her students advance and achieve medals of their own. This new endeavor has allowed her to travel around the country to teach and enter cake competitions. Peggy became a member of the International Cake Exploration Societé (ICES) in 1999. Additionally, she is a member of the Upper Midwest Bakery Association (UMBA), the Minnesota Chapter of ICES and the California Cake Club. Over the years, Peggy has entered a number of competitions and has taken numerous awards. She thoroughly enjoys competitions for the challenges and experiences they present.
Tami has been decorating for over 20 years, with 15 years demonstrating and teaching and is proud to be an ICES approved teacher. She won several best of show and best of division awards and has written several articles for American Cake Decorating magazine with one cake featured on the Dec/Jan 2007 cover. She was asked to be a guest presenter at the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California in San Diego and was to participate in the sugar art display centerpiece for the graduating class banquet with her sugar flowers. She has studied with top sugar artists from England and the US and has assisted both Nicholas Lodge and Colette Peters in their classes. She is currently working for Yummy Arts and Do It With Icing as an instructor, making DVD’s and online videos. She also makes gumpaste flowers for bakeries and other cake artists in the area for use on their cakes. In addition to gumpaste flowers, she also teaches the Lambeth method, run sugar, bas relief, and several other techniques.
Lori is owner of Pastries By Vreeke, a custom cake boutique located in Westlake Village, California. She specializes in large wedding and special occasion cakes, taking a limited number of cake orders. She opened up her bakery over 4 years ago, building it from scratch, acting as contractor and dealing personally with the city building department and the state health department. Lori has entered the Oklahoma Sugar Art Wedding competition for 3 years and has earned a Silver award for her entries. Last year she participated on Colette Peters winning team in the Ultimate Cake Off – Griffith Observatory 75th Anniversary winning 1st place! She also competed at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show in the mini challenge “Divorce Cakes” winning 1st place. She has taken classes from many of the best cake decorators; Colette Peters, Kerry Vincent, Bronwen Weber, Debbie Brown, Ron Ben Israel to name a few. Lori is a member of ICES and the California Cake Club.
Anna Weisend is the creative force at The Grand Finale, which she opened in 2000. She has won several awards for her cakes and has been featured in local and international newspapers and magazines including The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Weddings in Cleveland, and Wedding Cakes- A Design Source. She appeared in the television special “Wedding Cake Wars” on WEtv. Her clientele has included former congressman Martin Hoke, JRB Publishing, the Nestle Corporation, and many satisfied brides. In addition to designing and creating, she has been sharing and teaching her skills since 2003. Anna has served as a pastry arts judge for the FCCLA. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the sugar art/pastry competition, The Art of the Cake.
Roland and Marsha Winbeckler are a husband/wife decorating team who met at a Cake Decorators' Convention--both were decorators and instructors prior to meeting. They teach professional cake decorating classes around the U.S. and have also taught or demonstrated in Canada, Jamaica, and Australia. They have both taught at the Wilton School in Chicago, and Roland also taught at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York. Roland was a double gold medal winner at the World Culinary Olympics held in Frankfurt, Germany, and was inducted into the Cake Decorating Hall of Fame in 1992. Roland and Marsha have appeared on the Food Network and TLC's Ultimate Cake Off. They are both authors of cake decorating books and DVDs and have each written articles for trade magazines. Marsha was the editor of two international cake decorating newsletters for many years. Their instruction books and DVDs can be found on their web site www.CakeSuppliesPlus.com. In addition to teaching and writing books on cake decorating, they create special event cakes around the country including life-sized cake sculptures of and for celebrity clients including Elvis, Marilyn, Cher and many others. Photos of their projects can be seen on their web site.
