Hey, hey, hey! Last month, Chef Nicholas kicked off Renshaw Academy; amazing and intensive cake decorating certification courses designed by Chef Nicholas exclusively for Renshaw. There are three different modules: Sugar Flowers, Sugarpaste (rolled fondant), and Royal Icing. In March, the very first Renshaw Academy class on American soil took at ISAC. This first class was the Sugar Flower module. In May, Chef Nicholas will be teaching the second module: Sugarpaste!

Chef Nicholas, Renshaw Americas' Brand Ambassador, has been in Liverpool, England all week. He, and the nine Brand Ambassador Partners, have been having an amazing time visiting the Renshaw headquarters! On Monday they took a fabulous tour of the Renshaw Factory, seeing where all the amazing products are made (not just for us, but for the royal family as well!!). They also got to spend some time at the state of the art Renshaw Academy!

Well, I didn't think it was fair for those lucky ducks to get all the Renshaw love. Nope. So I wanted to share some of my own Renshaw goodness with you, including their new, and absolutely AMAZING, color guide! 

I love my job. I love being warm. I love the beach. I love the Caribbean. It would be a GROSS underestimation to say I am upset Chef Nicholas didn't take me along to Puerto Rico with him this weekend. Chef Nicholas was attending the Pastry Lovers Fest, and after seeing the photos, well... I'm even more jealous to be missing out! I normally reserve photo blogs only for after our ISAC Open House events or the National Gingerbread competition, but I just couldn't resist! Enjoy!

Part of the Renshaw Americas Alice in Wonderland themed installation

Today is January 12, 2017. This year, Nicholas Lodge has already been to Chicago, New York, and is currently on route to Orlando. We haven't even had two full weeks of 2017, and Chef Nicholas has been in four different states; I think he has clocked less than 36 hours in his home state of Georgia. No rest for the weary!

Chef Nicholas started off 2017 with a brief trip to Chicago for orientation with his newest students at the French Pastry School. By January 5th, he was in New York City for six days. A very busy six days indeed! There were meetings for the NY Cake Show, a Renshaw Difference roadshow and demo, a meet and greet and a 1-day spring flower class at NY Cake Academy. And a Renshaw Difference roadshow and demo at David Rosen Bakery Supplies. Chef Nicholas enjoyed catching up with his friends too! Of course he saw Lisa Mansour, of NY Cake, she was even sporting Nicholas Lodge green during class! Chef Nicholas had a fabulous dinner with his longtime friend Ron Ben Israel (a private chef 8-course tasting menu from Chef Ryan Lory, a competitor from Food Network's Chopped, and executive chef at Charlie Palmer Steak House). Brunched with Benny Rivera (City Cakes) and Sachiko Windbiel (mimicafe Union), and got a bunch of City Cake's famous half-pound cookies (yum. so jealous). Chef Nicholas also met with the Renshaw Americas team at the Renshaw Americas headquarters in New Jersey for a bit of team training.

Chef Nicholas and Lisa Mansour during his one-day class at NY Cake Academy.

Chef Ryan Lory, Ron Ben Israel, and Chef Nicholas! 

Chef Ryan even created a dish with Nicholas Lodge Green! 

Benny Rivera, Chef Nicholas, and Sachiko Windbiel.

Benny Rivera's City Cakes!

I'm not going to lie- my mouth is watering looking the City Cakes Display...

Half pound cookies! Yum!

Chef Nicholas arrived home from his whirlwind trip to the Big Apple on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning (yesterday) was spent packing up and hitting the road for Orlando, Florida! Chef Nicholas and Scott are headed to The Sweet Chalet for another Renshaw Difference roadshow and demo! On Saturday and Sunday, Chef is teaching a two-day Tropical and Exotic Flower class. 

After returning for Orlando, Chef Nicholas has a little over a week break from traveling. Then he is jetting off to Chicago again; it will be time to teach his students at the French Pastry School for a few weeks. After Chicago, Chef will get to enjoy the warm sunny Caribbean weather for his trip to Puerto Rico and a Renshaw Difference demo (can you tell how popular Renshaw products are?!). I lived in the Caribbean myself, and I am VERY jealous not to be going with Chef Nicholas. I think blogging on location from the beach is just what this blog needs! Ha!

Once Chef Nicholas returns from Puerto Rico, he will be attending the Austin Cake Show in late February and CookieCon in early March. In late March Chef will be teaching his PME Master Class back with us at home (yay! finally our turn to see him!). Then he will be back to teaching at the French Pastry School in Chicago, straight to SoFlo Cake and Candy Expo, and then up to Edmonton, Canada for a week of teaching in May. Phew. I need a nap. Like I said, he never stops.

Chef Nicholas has a lot on his agenda and there are loads of people who want to learn from him and see him in action. I don't blame them- he is the best instructor out there and that's why he travels like mad. 

2017 is a big year for Chef Nicholas, Scott, and ISAC. Not least because of how busy Chef Nicholas will be. No, 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Chef Nicholas and Scott's partnership and the International Sugar Art Collection. We hope to share lots of fun experiences with you this year, and cannot wait celebrate this sweet occasion throughout the year!

Chef Nicholas and Scott celebrating 2017, and 25 years together!

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

As many of you may know, Chef Nicholas is lucky enough to be the Brand Ambassador for Renshaw, the world's leading manufacturer of rolled fondant. We have been working even more closely with Renshaw for the last few months... doing what you ask? Well, let me tell you!

It's almost time for the 2016 Sweet Fest Business Convention!! This September 23-25, 2016, business owners in the sweets industry can head down to Atlanta to attend this fantastic event. This conference is a bit different from your average cake/confectionary convention because it focuses on the business side of the industry, rather than the artistic side. Let's be real, it doesn't matter how beautiful your cake design is, or how mouthwatering your cookies are if you don't know how to attract, appeal to, and retain customers. This business savvy and fun convention is more than a trade show, competition, or expo. It is aimed at Sweet Entrepreneurs who want to learn how to grow and manage their business by sharing business knowledge and tools specific to our industry! Oh, and guess who is one of the presenters? Chef Nicholas!

As promised here are the winners of the Birthday Blog prizes! Thank you to everyone who commented on last week's blog! I do hope that all the winners listed below enjoy their prizes, whatever they may be!

Today is an exciting day! Why, you ask? Today we celebrate the one year anniversary of the Nicholas Lodge Blog! Hooray!!! Writing this blog each week for all of you has been a lot of fun, and I have learned so much more about cake decorating and baking in the process! I have enjoyed researching each topic, consulting with Chef Nicholas on what you all would like to read about each week, and reading all the positive comments and emails we receive from our pleased readers (that's you!). So, how should we celebrate this momentous occasion? What's a birthday party without presents- let's giveaway some prizes!

Happy Thursday everyone! Last week I shared the news that Chef Nicholas has become the Brand Ambassador for Renshaw's line of rolled fondant and gumpaste. Chef Nicholas wanted to share the store of how rolled fondant was initially brought over to the US, and below is his account of how it all happened! I hope you all enjoy!

Photo: S. Ewing/ISAC

We have quite an announcement to share with everyone! Chef Nicholas Lodge was invited to be the Brand Ambassador for the Renshaw Rolled Fondant and Gumpaste product line! Both the ISAC and Renshaw families are very excited to begin this new relationship! Chef Nicholas was involved with the development of the original Renshaw rolled fondant- Regalice. Chef Nicholas has long believed that Renshaw makes the finest rolled fondant and gumpaste- but it was never available in the United States.