Hello!  Have you been missing the weekly blog that used to come out from ISAC?  Me too!  Stephanie did a wonderful job keeping us up to date with everything going on with the team at ISAC and Chef Nicholas, but she has decided to move on to bigger things (taking care of her family!)  Thank you Stephanie for all that you have done!  Your blogs were full of information and lots of fun!!

So what’s next?  Well, I’m happy to announce that I have the privilege and honor of being the person that is going to continue what Stephanie was doing and deliver the weekly blog on behalf of ISAC!  My name is Susan and I would like to welcome you to a new series of blogs that will give you all the latest that is happening with Chef Nicholas and his entire team at ISAC. 

First, I want to give you just a little about myself.   I have been a cake decorator and involved in the sugar arts for over 25 years.  I love to make sugar flowers, decorate, travel and mostly play with sugar!  I am a member of the International Cake Exploration Society and the Treasurer of the Florida Chapter.  I have met so many people and made life long friends in the sugar industry.  It’s hard to say what is more fun, playing with sugar or meeting new friends!

Just last night Chef Nicholas returned from his big trip to India. He taught several classes at the SEP, judged and gave demos at Cakeology, and attended the Cake Masters Top Ten Indian Cake Artists Awards! Chef Nicholas has now visited India a total of 12 times! He loves the warm people, the culture, and especially the food! Chef is known for his refined palate, and Indian food has always be at the top of his list. I normally reserve my photo blogs for ISAC Open House events, but Chef Nicholas' photos from his trip are so visually pleasing that I knew I had to share them all with you! Enjoy! 

Chef Nicholas has a wonderful time on his visit to India. But, we sure are glad to have him back with us at ISAC! We are gearing up for the first ever Renshaw Academy Master class this Saturday. It's one adventure after another with Chef Nicholas Lodge! 

There are still seats available in these great classes this summer at ISAC! Click the links below to register now. 

English Over-Piped Elegant Wedding Cake with Ceri Griffiths, 11/7-8

Unicorn Bliss Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/18

Art Deco Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/19

Bohemian Love Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/19

 Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie 

Our goal is for you to be completely satisfied with your Amazon order! If for any reason this is not the case, we would appreciate it if you would give us a chance to address your concerns, before leaving feedback or a review, by emailing us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com. We would be grateful if you would leave us a positive feedback and review of your Renshaw Fondant. Leaving feedback seems like such a little thing, but it has great impact on our business and we would greatly appreciate your time in leaving it.

2017 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

You guys! We are exactly 6 WEEKS from the opening of the Ultimate Sugar Show!!! Best part (for Chef Nicholas)? It's right here in Atlanta! The man will actually get to sleep in his own bed! What is the Ultimate Sugar Show, you may ask? Well, let me enlighten you:

"The Ultimate Sugar Show is the ultimate experience in all things sugar from SHOPPING to EATING, LEARNING, and COMPETING. Sweet lovers, sugar enthusiasts, bakers, cakers and sugar artists are invited to indulge themselves in the world of sweets for a weekend full of fun, family friendly activities, eating, sugar art competitions and so much more."

That just sounds like fun to me! I don't think ANYONE would disagree! The show is part business conference for Sweets Industry professionals, and part baking supply expo and cake competition. See I told you- FUN! This event, known previously as SweetFest, has been held in Atlanta since 2014 as a business conference for sweet makers, has now opened their doors to the public AND incorporated the expo, vendors, and competition. Chef Nicholas has been involved with SweetFest for several years, and is thrilled to see the new Ultimate Sugar Show combine the fun of a cake show with the educational aspect to help build businesses. 

The Ultimate Sugar Show will feature live demos, on Saturday November 10th, and Sunday November 11th. This even includes a panel with junior chefs (ideal for those of you with kids who aspire to be the next Nicholas Lodge). There will hands on decorating for kids ages 5-16! My son loves being in the kitchen, so a real class where he gets to make and decorate would get him so excited!

Now, never fear- there is loads to do for adults too! There are over 8 demos over the weekend, covering a variety of different topics. There are three regional competitions. Sugar Art will feature sugar artists of all ages competing in eight different categories, with an overarching theme of Southern Hollywood. The Great Southern Bake-off is the "tasting," competition, where local small business can vie for the title of best dessert in the south! This is also for a good cause- the proceeds from this competition will benefit the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Delicious and thoughtful. Finally, the Sugar Hat Competition. I bet you have some questions about that don't you? This LIVE competition requires that cake artists create and assemble a southern style, WEARABLE hat. Made of completely edible materials. Yeah, that's going to be amazing to watch! Chef Nicholas will have the difficult task of being lead judge at this incredible event!

BUT WAIT! There's more!

Throughout the 2018 Sugar Art & Cake Show Season, the top Cake Designers in the country have competed for an opportunity to represent the United States in the 2019 World Cake Designers Championship in Milan, Italy. On November 11th, the Ultimate Sugar Show and the International Federation of Pastry Gelato & Chocolate will announce the 2018 FIPGC USA Division Cake Designer Champion! Make sure to join us live at the Cobb Galleria and witness this historical celebration! The three very worthy finalist are Benny Rivera, Liz Marek, and Aya Saravia. Who will be crowned?! Chef Nicholas and Sidney Galpern are members of the prestigious Federation of Pastry, Gelato & Chocolate!

Tickets to this amazing event are on sale and still available. Please go check out the Ultimate Sugar Show website; it is going to be such an amazing show, this blog just can't do it justice! You can find information on pricing, demos, schedules, tastings, competitions, and lodging at www.ultimatesugarshow.com

There are still seats available in these great classes this summer at ISAC! Click the links below to register now. 

Renshaw Academy Master Certification Class with Chef Nicholas Lodge, 10/13-10/22

English Over-Piped Elegant Wedding Cake with Ceri Griffiths, 11/7-8

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie 

Our goal is for you to be completely satisfied with your Amazon order! If for any reason this is not the case, we would appreciate it if you would give us a chance to address your concerns, before leaving feedback or a review, by emailing us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com. We would be grateful if you would leave us a positive feedback and review of your Renshaw Fondant. Leaving feedback seems like such a little thing, but it has great impact on our business and we would greatly appreciate your time in leaving it.

2017 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

Anyone out there read this blog from India? In Mumbai, maybe? Well, if you are reading this, get excited! Chef Nicholas will be heading to Cakeology this October! What is Cakeology you ask? According to the vent website, "Spread over 3 days, Cakeology 2018, is the first show of its kind – bringing every day cake artists, sugar artists, bakers, chocolatiers, retail bakers, ​professional ​pastry chefs and foodies to celebrate the world of Baking and the Art of Cake Decorating. This exciting weekend has something for everyone." Hmm, that does sound like a fun weekend. This is the third year of Cakeology, and Chef Nicholas is so excited to be a part of this year's event! 

I don't know about you guys... but I am ready for some consistently warm weather! Normally, here in Atlanta, it is pretty hot my mid-April. I think in the last 7 days I have been turning my heat on, my heat off, my air conditioning on, my air conditioning off. I wear shorts one day, and a winter coat the next day. The weather here has been making me crazy, and I have been dreaming about summer weather and the beach vacation I have coming up this summer. I thought, what better way to shake off the last of the winter weather blues by chatting about MIAMI! Well, specifically everyone's favorite cake and candy expo in Miami: SoFlo!

Boy oh boy. Chef Nicholas is always a busy guy. This year, this fall specifically, Chef Nicholas is taking busy to a whole new level. Beginning on September 21, Chef Nicholas has not had a single day off. And he still has so much to do before the end of the year! I thought maybe I would just give you all a glimpse into Chef Nicholas' schedule!

I am so excited to tell everyone that the 2018 SoFlo Cake & Candy Expo tickets are now on pre-sale!! Why am I so excited? As many of you know, Chef Nicholas has been lead judge for the competitions for years, and Renshaw Americas has been a big sponsor of the event. So, the ISAC family is always excited for SoFlo! 

This October Chef Nicholas is thrilled to be attending not one, but TWO fantastic cake and sweets shows: the Show Me Sweets Edible Art and Cake Competition and Canada's Baking and Sweets Show. This will be the first time that Chef Nicholas attends either of these shows, and is excited to bring his skills and expertise to the attendees. Chef Nicholas will be offering seminars at both shows, and the best news? Chef Nicholas seminars are free!*

Did you know that everything is BIG in Texas? I've never been there, but I have heard that. Oh, and I heard you shouldn't mess with Texas. With that in mind, I think that I should tell you to stop messing around and register for Chef Nicholas's Texas-Sized Sugar Flower Class at this year's That Takes the Cake- Austin Cake Show!

This year the Austin Cake Show will be February 25-26, in Round Rock, Texas; Chef Nicholas' two-day class will be held on February 26-27. Now, this class is called Texas-Sized Sugar Flowers, and I already told you everything is big in Texas; Chef Nicholas is delivering with some BIG southern flowers: peony. dahlia, southern magnolia, and fully-blown rose!

Just typing that out doesn't quite do these flowers justice. No, I have included some BIG photos of these beauties for you to admire!

The dahlia, with layers upon layers of petals

The peony with its lush, scalloped petals

The immense southern magnolia!

Finally, Chef Nicholas' signature- the fully-blown rose!

As with all of Chef Nicholas' gumpaste flower classes the appropriate buds and leaves will also be taught!  There is still time to sign up, BUT not much, the Austin Cake show is only a few weeks away!

Finally, 2017 makes the 25th Anniversary, the silver anniversary, of the Nicholas Lodge International Sugar Art Collection. Throughout the year we will be celebrating here on the blog, with new publications, and other surprises! I thought I would kick off by sharing some fun, historical ISAC tid-bits with all of you here on our blog. Thank you to all of our students, clients, friends, and family for supporting ISAC over the last 25 years!

ISAC 25th Anniversary Fact: The International Sugar Art Collection began on Friday, July 17, 1992 with a series of 15 one-day classes being taught at "Confectionery Yours," a cake and candy retail store in Marietta, GA.

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

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Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award. 

2015 ICES Convention

The 2015 ICES Convention is less than two months away, and this year we celebrate its 40th anniversary! If you have never attended an ICES Convention, why not start this year? There is a long list of classes, competitions, demos, and shopping to enjoy

Hello dear friends! Can you believe that January is already over?! Chef Nicholas is busy imparting knowledge to students at the French Pastry School as we speak, lucky ducks! He did want me to share some fun upcoming events with you all though!