Polaris Career Center, in conjunction with The Art of the Cake, presents
The Art of the Cake
(in alphabetical order)
Silvina Barboza http://www.silvinasugarcreations.com
Courtney Bonning As seen on Cupcake WarsPastry Chef Courtney Bonning,winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars and Proprietor of Bonbon Pastry & Cafe. Bonbon Pastry & Cafe was formerly known as The Bonbon Bake Shop. What was once a small wholesale bakery has morphed into a European styled bakery and cafe. Courtney has had a passion for all things sweet since she started creating Easter chocolates with her mom when she was a child.She has worked in the hospitality industry for the last 14 years and holds a Bachelors degree from Kent State University in Hospitality Management. Courtney went on to earn a degree in Baking and Pastry from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and has since enjoyed working as a pastry chef for acclaimed restaurants such as Press Restaurant in Napa Valley, Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen in Seattle Washington and most recently at the esteemed Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland, Ohio.
Courtney's mission is to offer Cleveland all natural, artistically prepared desserts, bakery and innovative cafe fare. Courtney promotes a green environment and is committed to the betterment and marketing of Cleveland’s unique foods, history and peoples.
Janet Brown
Joe BushnellJoe has been working in the world of sugar art and chocolate for ten years.
He began his tenure at Sweet Celebrations in Minneapolis, MN in Basic Cake Decorating, Intermediate Cake Decorating, Gumpaste Flowers and other various classes. Learning he had a hidden talent, he then went to New York City for private lessons under Scott Clark Woolley at the Academy of Cake Art. He began teaching shortly thereafter. He now teaches chocolate truffle classes, gumpaste flowers, buttercream classes and rolled fondant.
He has taught at ISAC (Atlanta, GA), Cake Craft Shoppe (Houston, TX), Dakota County College & Minneapolis Community Technical College (Minneapolis, MN) and other various states.
Mary Jo DowlingPreviously an Art Director for a major university, Mary Jo Dowling CMSA holds a degree in illustration from Carnegie Mellon University. After relocating to Eastern Massachusetts, she started to explore other art-related fields and took up cake decorating after taking a local course in the subject. Since then she has attended major international conventions on sugar art and taken classes with prominent artists in the field. She also demonstrates her techniques at cake shows and sugar arts meetings. She has recently begun judging cake shows. Her work has appeared in American Cake Decorating Magazine. In 2009 she achieved the high honor ranking of Certified Master Sugar Artist from the International Cake Exploration Societé, ICES. In the spring of 2010 she was part of the green team competing in TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off show on network TV which aired April 12th on the TLC network. In February 2011 she was featured on TLC’s Fabulous Cakes. She is the owner of MjDesigns, LLC which also operates as Elegant Edibles her licensed Residential Commercial Kitchen.
Since her first competition cake show in 2006 she has earned 6 Best of Show titles, 3 Decorator’s Choice Awards, a People’s Choice Award, A Special Artistic Award, two - “Most Artistic piece in the Salon” Awards, a “Most Novel Piece in the Salon” award, an ACF Gold medal with Citation & Bronze medal, and a Wilton Award. She has garnered over 24 division titles, 41 first place ribbons, 18 second place ribbons, and 6 third place ribbons. At the 2010 Great American Cake Show and Wedding Cake Competition, her wedding cake entry placed 3rd from all the entries. In 2010 she and fellow Master Sugar Artist Barb Evans collaborated on a piece that placed in the top ten at the Grove Park National Gingerbread Competition and earned the 2nd place overall prize.
She is a member of ICES, the International Cake Decorating Society, and an international member of the British Sugar Craft Guild, and a member of the American Culinary Federation ACF. Currently she holds the position of ICES President and Certification Chairman and is a member of their Board of Directors.
Mike Elder
Burton Farnsworth Burton Farnsworth is an award winning sugar artist whose work has been described as comical, cartoonish, and occasionally, disturbing and has appeared in the pages of American Cake Decorating Magazine. Originally, Burton pursued cake sculpting but he quickly gained notoriety for his sculpted figures made from modeling chocolate, gum paste and fondant. Burton is also an illustrator and graphic designer. He recently designed packaging for several fragrances commissioned by Lucas Films for their Star Wars Celebration V held in Orlando Florida.
Vanessa Greeley
Dianne Gruenberg http://www.avenueschoices.com/Dianne Gruenberg has 40 years experience in cake decorating and 22 years as an instructor, cake show judge and demonstrator in USA, Canada and UK. She is the member of ICES and the British Sugar Craft Guild. Her work has been featured in national, local and international publications, television , newspapers Food Network thru Tulsa show and on TLC twice and on a winning team. Dianne is the owner of Avenues Sweet Choices, the USA connection with Sugar City UK, and Sweet Choices Cake Decorating School in Bay City, MI.
Lauren Kitchens http://www.fancycakesbylauren.comIn 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 shares her expertise with cake professionals and enthusiasts all over North America with a selection of imaginative cake decorating classes and demonstrations.
Kathleen Lange http://www.confectionarychalet.comKathleen Lange, Cake Design Artist from San Diego, California and Sandpoint, Idaho, has been decorating and teaching confectionery arts, since 1980; specializing in the foreign technique, known as the "Lambeth Method." Kathleen continues to share her love for confectionery arts; traveling as a guest instructor, demonstrator and judge for confectionary clubs, shows and culinary art schools throughout the country. All classes are designed for the hobbyist, as well as the professional. Kathleen’s enthusiasm for confectionary arts is contagious!
Karey Ann Large (Riberdy)Karey started doing cakes in 2005 as her 1st son was turning one. She just wanted to be that cool mom that made awesome cakes for her kids. What started out as a hobby turned into a full out obsession! Like many, Karey got her start by taking the Wilton classes at her local Michaels store and loved it so much she began to research and learn about all things cake. She founded Kake Kreations in 2005 just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Eventually Karey was asked by Wilton to be an instructor at her local Michaels and to date has taught over 1100 students earning her a place in the Wilton Hall of Fame. Karey has also had the chance to learn from such greats as Mike McCarey, Elisa Strauss, Bronwen Weber, James Rosselle and Nick Lodge. Karey's love for cake has taken her to compete as far away Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show where she has placed multiple times in the divisional show. In 2011 Karey was selected as one of the top Cake Artists in Canada and was invited to compete on the inagural Canadian Cake Competition series CakeWalk: Wedding Cake Edition that is scheduled to air fall 2011
Mike McCarey
Wayne Steinkopf http://www.swankcakedesign.comWayne Steinkopf is cofounder and co-owner of Swank Cake Design, a contemporary cake studio in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1988, Wayne’s career in cake decorating began with no formal pastry training and only a background in auto body repair. 20 years later, after several jobs at commercial bakeries, Wayne finally grew tired of the artistic limitations of working for someone else and decided to start his own business. With the help of his friend Chuck, they opened a small cake studio, one that specializes in modern decorating techniques and chic designs. Wayne and his business, Swank Cake Design, has been featured on TLC's Fabulous Cakes. Wayne was a featured competitor on an exciting episode of TLC’s hit show Ultimate Cake Off (season 2). In July of 2009, Wayne assisted Ashley Vicos on her victorious Ringling Brothers episode of Ultimate Cake Off (season 1).
Peggy Tucker http://www.schoolofcakeology.com/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 have taken numerous awards. She thoroughly enjoys competitions for the challenges and experiences they present.
Terry TuttleA native of upstate New York, Terry has been decorating cakes for over 30 years starting when he was 14 years old. With his love and passion for decorating, Terry decided to take classes to enrich his knowledge of fondant and gum paste mediums. Terry now lives in Churchton, Maryland with his wife, Kathy, and two children. He currently teaches second grade in a local elementary school.
He entered his first wedding cake competition in 2009 and won third place. Over the last two years, Terry has won first and second place with his entries in Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio cake shows. He has participated in several live challenges at cake shows. Terry made his television debut as a contestant on We TV channel, Wedding Cake Wars hosted by Ron Ben Israel. Also in 2009, he was one of several volunteers to help make a life-sized NASCAR cake with Buddy Valastro, The Cake Boss, for Joe Gibbs. In 2011, Terry was an assistant on Food Network Cake Challenge (to be aired in November 2011).
