It's June which means summer has officially arrived. In the cake decorating world, summertime brings the annual ICES convention! YAY! The ICES convention is an important yearly tradition for the ISAC team; Chef Nicholas first came to the US in the 1980s to teach and demonstrate at an ICES convention. Chef Nicholas has been a fixture at the yearly event since then. After opening the International Sugar Art Collection, there has always been a vendor booth at the convention as well. The 2018 ICES convention in Cincinnati, Ohio will be no different. Chef Nicholas is teaching, and we will have our world-famous vendor booth for loads of retail therapy. 

Many of our readers know that Sidney Galpern, of Simi Cakes, is a frequent guest instructor at ISAC. Sidney is a superb all around pastry chef, but she is best known for her isomalt designs. Many of our students have taken classes with Sidney in Studio B, and we are so excited to be offering two classes with Sidney this June. In the past, I had written a few blogs dedicated to different products that shape the cake decorating (and pastry) world. As I was brainstorming ideas for this week's blog, I reread some of these previous blogs for a bit of inspiration. I thought it might be fun to tell you all about this history and science behind isomalt. And, Sidney, if you are reading this- I hope I get it all right!

Last week I mentioned that Chef Joe Cumm would be returning to ISAC and Studio B this December for a class on French Macarons and petit fours. The class was completely sold out in four days!! Wow. I understand, I love me some French Macarons. I love the variety of flavors and how light and airy they are with a slight crunch when you take a bite. Yum, yum, yum. 

Now that we have our 2017 Spring Open House behind us, we at ISAC are looking forward to upcoming classes we are hosting! This summer we are so excited to be hosting Stephen Benison for three classes this coming July! That's right THREE classes! What makes this even more exciting is the fact that Stephen has never taught at ISAC before, despite knowing Chef Nicholas for about 30 years. That makes this a rare educational experience. Each of Stephen's classes are one-day classes. One-day classes are perfect for those of you who don't have very flexible schedules, or may not be able to take much time off from work. Or, you could go all out and sign up for all three classes! Not a bad idea, it may be a once in a lifetime chance to learn from Stephen!

A couple of months ago, I wrote an in depth blog about each of Stephen's classes, but I just wanted to share them again quickly now that spring is here and summer is around the corner!

Beginning on Sunday July 16, Stephen is teaching his Fabulous Shoes, Hats, and Handbags class. Focusing on vintage style shoes, hats, and handbags (surprise!), Stephen's class will bring all the glitz and glamour that comes to mind when thinking of Audrey Hepburn or Downton Abbey. Also included in the price of the class is a shoe kit with cutters, formers, and step by step color instructions; a fabulous hat kit with cutters for the different brim styles, and an eight page booklet showing the construction and different styles; and a fabulous handbag cutter classic style kit, and a mini flower texture stencil.

Tools included in the Fabulous Shoes, Hats, and Handbags class

Monday, July 17 brings us Stephen's Vintage Fabric Flowers and Naked Leaves Wedding Cake class. This two-tier wedding cake that evokes antique silk. I love the ivory and gold color scheme of this cake, and just like in his Shoes, Hats, and Handbags class, students in this class will be taking home the fabric flowers stencil kit with 12 formers, one each of the swirls and sequins mini stencil textures, decorative leaves stencils, a set of “S” scroll cutters, a high grade scalpel with five blades, double leaf scroll cutter, a six inch mini turntable, and the naked leaves cutters!

Tools included in the Vintage Fabric Flowers and Naked Leaves Wedding Cake class

The final class that Stephen is teaching at ISAC is Wedding Cake Styles and Techniques, on Tuesday July 18. For this class, Stephen will be sharing design concepts and a variety of techniques and tools that his students can use to create and design their own individual wedding cakes. Just as in his first two classes, Stephen is including many tools for students to take home with them: Macintosh rose art-deco stencil, silhouette cutters, feature design cutters, triple leaf scroll, trailing leaves cutter, and stripes stencil.

Stephen recently taught this class in Canada, and shared a photo of the students with their finished cakes. There are so many different, fun, and exciting design elements. This class will be a great asset- you will come away with a lot of new ideas and techniques to add to your decorating toolbox!

Tools included in the Wedding Cake Styles and Techniques class.

Speaking of toolboxes, I want to take a quick minute and point out how great it is that students will be taking home so many tools! If a student takes all three of Stephen's classes, they will go home with nearly $300 in cake decorating tools!!! That is an absolutely incredible bonus to these fantastic classes!

Don't miss out on these three great classes offered by Stephen Benison this July. Between Stephen teaching at ISAC for the very first time and all the great tools you will come home with, these three classes are totally worth it! We all hope to see you in class this summer! 

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

Don't just follow our blog! Follow Chef Lodge on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

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. 

All the way from the Wiltshire, England- Stephen Benison is coming to ISAC in July 2017! The best part is that he is teaching not one, not two, but THREE classes in Studio B. It is always very exciting when we host instructors visiting from abroad because our students get the rare opportunity to learn from incredible international cake artists that they may not learn from otherwise. In this case, Stephen has never taught as ISAC before, and he and Chef Nicholas have known each other for 30 years! We are even luckier because Stephen is teaching so many classes with us, and that means more students will get the chance to benefit.

So, what is Stephen going to be teaching?

A few weeks ago I shared the news that Chef Joe Cumm was returning to ISAC to teach his stunning Valentine Chocolate Mini-Showpiece on February 12, 2017. Things are about to get even sweeter because Chef Kathryn Gordon will also be returning to ISAC to teach two French pastry classes on February 11, 2017! Studio B will be host to the ULTIMATE PASTRY WEEKEND this February 11-12, 2017!

Calissons by Chef Kathryn Gordon

Do you know Karen Portaleo? Oh, right, of course you do. How could you not? She is so outrageously talented: she has been on Food Network Challenge (four times), Halloween Wars, and Cake Wars- winning all but one; and her client list includes Sir Elton John, Usher, Jane Lynch, T-Pain, Demi Moore, Andrew Young, Kasim Reed, AMC's The Walking Dead, The Cartoon Network, Coca Cola, Delta Airlines, Turner Broadcasting, CNN, The Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, The Atlanta Opera, Georgia Public Broadcasting, The W Hotel, and Westin Hotels.

WOW.

Karen has taught classes on cake sculpting and modeling chocolate throughout the world, but she calls Atlanta, Georgia home...  Just like Chef Nicholas. For years Chef Nicholas has wanted to host one of Karen's classes in our very own Studio B. Sadly, when you have two superstars of the cake world, scheduling can be a bit tricky. But, it seems that the wait is over!

FINALLY, and proudly, I am happy to announce that Karen Portaleo will be teaching at the International Sugar Art Collection on December 5-6, 2016! Hooray!

In Karen's class, students will not only finish a lovely Santa Cake (see photo above) that can be used as a center piece to Holiday Celebrations, they will learn a great many techniques! Such as:

-Sculpting faces

-Working with modeling chocolate

-Painting on modeling chocolate

-Cake structure and armatures

-Draping and working with fondant

-Painting on fondant

-Using molds and cutters

While Karen will be demonstrating a specific color pallet for her Santa, students are encouraged to take the techniques they are learning and get creative with their Santa! This class will be informative and FUN!

This is a two-day class and a light lunch will be provided.

I cannot wait for this class, and this Santa is coming just in time for the holidays! When Chef Nicholas and I were discussing this class last week, he said it best, "This class is the ultimate holiday gift for sugar artists." I don't disagree- why not give yourself the gift of this class, or surprise your favorite cake decorator with a seat in this class! And after the class, you will be sure to impress all of your holiday guests with the Santa that you have created. 

If you'd like to sign up for Karen Portaleo's Santa class just click here! We can't wait to see you in class..

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

Don't just follow our blog! Follow Chef Lodge on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

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.