Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show

[Kerry]

OKLAHOMA STATE SUGAR ART SHOW

&

NATIONAL WEDDING CAKE COMPETITION

WEDDING CAKES OFF THE WALL 2004

Crazy cakes? No way! Not really -- well may be!

Dressed up walls will inspire wedding cake magic at the 11th national competition.

To be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma

At the Tulsa State Fair, Expo Building South West corner.

Setup: October 8, 3:30-8.30 P: M

October 9, 10.00 A: M -11:00 P: M

October 10, 10:00 A: M - 6:00 P: M

Contestants must use wallpaper for inspiration. With scores of decorative designs available, showpieces could range from the sublime to the contemporary. Cake stylists inventing this sweet-filled collection will present wedding cakes a la mode enrobed in rolled fondant, buttercream or other unexpected mediums - chocolate or marzipan perhaps. Sure to please the huge crowd of more than 60,000 that visit the event annually, designers will dish up surprising and unexpected translations.

Uniquely sugar 'papered' these state of the art cakes will be sitting pretty on individual elaborately decorated coordinating tables. Creating these crowd-pleasing table designs will test the skill of contestants and challenge their inventive abilities. Table decorations can be hired from professional outlets; may be acquired finds at a flea market or an estate sale; or something special from the contestant's own linen closets.

Entrants who don't care to fuss with all the individual table frou frou can enter the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show - a companion event that focuses on the skill of the decorator without added fanfare. Little or no table decoration is required and each contestant competes against their peers in experience appropriate divisions with eight different categories from which to choose.

Prizes total $15,000 in cash and merchandise for both competitions.

Celebrity cake specialists Ron Ben Israel and Nicholas Lodge will each alternately present four one and half hour demonstrations throughout the two-day event.

A special baking division requires entrants to create a cheesecake that will include Guittard chocolate, Ginger from Royal Pacific Foods and Vanilla courtesy Nielsen Massey Vanillas. Each entrant will receive a complimentary variety package of each of these products for their test kitchen and the ingredients must be used in the final innovative presentation.

Food Network TV aired a one-hour broadcast of the 2003 event 'The Matchmaker' calling it “Here Comes the Cake” the week of June 19th, 2004.

Food Network is returning to the event this year and will tape yet another documentary.

Everyone is a volunteer at this event and access to the demonstrations is simply daily Fair admission or an entry which entitles the entrant free access.

Contact me for a pdf file of the rules and regulations if you would like.

kvsugarart@aol.com

[Steve Klc]

Thanks for posting about this Kerry, and best of luck with it this year. Here's the link to the online home for the show which has photo galleries of all the work:

http://www.oksugarartshow.com/

[nightscotsman]

The FoodTV special on the last Sugar Art Show was just on last week. Some very impressive work from a range of entrants with wide ranging backgrounds. Thanks very much for the heads up on this year's show.

By the way, I'm assuming "kerry" is none other than the charming and talented Kerry Vincent? Welcome to eGullet, and I hope you'll come back to share your wisdom with us in the future.

[Kerry]

Since I posted the information about the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show some days ago I have had several emails, which emanated from this site, requesting information,. It seems that most chefs did not realise that the show “HERE COMES THE CAKE“ was in fact the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show. The title HCTC was used because the Food Network thought it would initiate more attention, but they are one and the same event. The hour-long program ran three times during Food Network's recent wedding weekend and apparently our ratings were through the roof.

Food Network will be returning this year to film “WEDDING CAKES OFF THE WALL 2004,” details of which I posted earlier June 25, under the heading Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show.

I am delighted to receive questions at any time and will answer promptly. I certainly would love to see interested parties come to visit and if they wish compete. It is a lovely event with beautiful cakes and open to anyone no matter what their level. We have a focus on education and provide that free-of-charge to all who attend. If the visitor is not an entrant then daily admission of $7.00 gives access to the Fair and to us; those who enter are provided free passes.

This year our celebrity chefs (demonstrating) will be Ron Ben-Israel and Nicholas Lodge, they join a long list of wonderful people who have supported me and the event over many years -- Jacquy Pfeiffer, Rosa Viacava de Ortega, Gilles Renusson, Ewald Notter, Anil Rohira and Margaret Braun to name a few.

The event was founded on a sentiment that it should be available to anyone who would like to come here for very little investment. All one has to do is get oneself here, budget to eat, hotel rate $55 per night (up to four in a room if you would like) at a very reasonable nicely appointed hotel. There is no registration for attendees, the contestants of course have to complete paperwork.

Competitions are available at all levels and luxury and rightly so, however, many times I have heard chefs say, “I wish it wasn't quite so expensive to attend such and such,” so I thought perhaps there was a niche for an event such as this. Twelve years ago the OSSAS was successfully founded. Contestants have access to all sorts of possibilities (cakes published, TV appearances, etc.) and the lower costs make it very accessible to all. Not to say that masters and big names aren't welcome, they most certainly are and many have been and seen, and been happily surprised. It just costs very little for attendees the way it is done here.

All who work the event are volunteers, no one is paid.

A pdf file of complete details is available to all who would like to request it.

Keep the inquiries coming.

Kerry Vincent

Show Director

[Wendy DeBord]

Thank-you for taking the time to share the info. on this event.

I really look forward to and seek out as much coverage of this event as I can find in print, online and now on TV. You've created a wonderful event Kerry!!!!! I wish you continued great success. You've made a noticable impact on this industry, thank-you for sharing.

[Kerry]

Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show

Since last year's event was televised on Food Network the entry numbers have doubled and the interest and response has been quite incredible.

Everything of an educational nature is free with Fair admission which is just $7. We have two wonderful cake stylists demonstrating. It will be a wonderful opportunity for those living close to Oklahoma who would like a chance to see these men in action.

Visitors and entrants are coming in from around the world.

Some interesting background on our celebrity cake designers.

RON BEN-ISRAEL

Ron’s cakes have been featured in the following publications:

The New York Times, New York Magazine, Town and Country, People, Daily News, Martha Stewart Living, In Style, Victoria, Modern Bride, Bridal Guide, Elegant Bride, For The Bride, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, The Knot, and TimeOut, to name a few. "Vogue" has named Ron Ben-Israel the number 1 best baker in 2004. Many books have featured his cakes, including Vera Wang on Weddings, Kate Manchester’s The Perfect Wedding Cake, Bette Matthews’ For Your Wedding – Cakes, and Joan Hamburg’s City Weddings. Zagat Survey’s have published glowing reviews on Ron’s cakes for the past four consecutive years. Ron’s personae and operation have been thinly disguised as a feature character in the New York Times’ bestseller novel "Shopaholic Ties the Knot" by Sophie Kinsella.

Television credits include:

The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC News, Fox News, ABC "Good Morning America", NBC "The Today Show", WB "The Morning Show", CBS "Eye To Eye", CNBC "How To Succeed In Business", HBO Oxygen TV, MTV "TRL", Japan’s SheTV, ABC’s "The View", ABC’s "Nightline", and The "Late Show with David Letterman". He is a favorite guest of "Martha Stewart Living". Movie credits include: Paramount's "In And Out", Woody Allen’s "Celebrity", and recently "Brooklyn" – acting role (in production).

Prestigious gold medals were awarded for his confectionery achievements, most notably from the New York Guild of Chefs, The Societe de Saint Michelle, and the Societe Culinaire Philantropic.

Ron has been a guest lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, and is currently an adjunct professor at the French Culinary Institute in New York. He also serves on FCI’s advisory board and regularly judges the pastry class’ graduation. Upon graduation, students from these culinary institutions frequently spend three to five months at his facilities further developing and refining their skills.

NICHOLAS LODGE

Nicholas Lodge is one of the top instructors in the current generation of sugarcraft artists. 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 have introduced sugar art into unlikely places such as India, China and Fiji. This reputation has also involved him in judging sugar art events around the globe.

Nicholas became Principal Wedding Cake Designer at Woodnutts, located in Brighton, one of England's top sugar art schools. Here, he made cakes for large London hotel's, including Claridges, The Ritz and the Savoy.

After eighteen months, at the age of twenty-one, Nicholas became the tutorial manager at Mary Ford's School in Bournemouth, another top sugar art school. During this time, Nicholas was commissioned to do work for England's Royal Family and other celebrities. This included one of the official wedding cakes for Lady Diana and Prince Charles. The official visit of the Prince and Princes of Wales to Tokyo gave Nicholas an opportunity to reproduce this Royal Wedding Cake. Nicholas has also worked on cakes for the Queen Mother and Prince William.

Nicholas was commissioned to write his first book in 1985, and as his reputation increased, additional books followed. Currently Nicholas has authored and co-authored over a dozen books

Nicholas was nominated, voted and approved for "Who's Who in America" in 1994 and was voted into the International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES) Hall of Fame in 2001, being the youngest person to receive this honor.

The International School of Sugar and Confectionery Arts teaches all levels and aspects of sugar art, cake decorating and cold porcelain. The school, offices and product distribution are located in Norcross, Georgia, just a few miles north of Atlanta, which has been home for Nicholas since 1991.

[duckduck]

I would suggest for any of you eGullet people going to this event to do a get together to meet your fellow eG'ers. My experience at the World Pastry Forum was made so much richer by having people to share it with and to discuss with. And be sure to say "Hello" and "thanks" to Kerry. It's not only good to make contacts but good for us to let the people who put these kinds of shows on know how much we truly appreciate all their hard work.

[Kerry]

Host hotel information is as follows -- Holiday Inn Select, 918 622 7000 speak to Tony Sprouse. Leave voicemail if he is not there, he will call back. A few rooms at $55 per night (up to four in a room) are still available but only if he is contacted, our room block has extended three times.

Look forward to meeting some of you. It was nice meeting Neil at the IBIE.

[joiei]

Kerry just sent me a copy of the schedule for the show Oct 9-10-11

Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tulsa State Fair -- Upper Level -- Expo Building

Program may be subject to change

Friday, October 8, 2004

4:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Cake Setup

Saturday, October 9, 2004

7:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Cake Setup

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Show open to public

10:30 a.m. – Judging begins

10:00 – 11:30 p.m. – Special Celebrity Demonstrator – ICES Hall of Fame Inductee NICHOLAS LODGE. Nicholas will create a tiered rolled fondant cake with gumpaste accents. His demonstration will begin with covering the cake tiers and cake board with rolled fondant, embossing, pearls, brush embroidery and creating the cake top flower basket.

11:45 – 1:15 - Special Celebrity Demonstrator –RON BEN-ISRAEL. Sugar artist to stars and celebrities. Ron will demonstrate his signature sugar roses; this will include the Giant Rose and Two-toned Rose. Ron will decorate an entire wedding cake during four demonstrations so be sure to keep notes.

1:30 - 3:00 See Albert Uster's corporate Pastry Chef Anil Rohira with his assistant Brian Donaghy dispel the myths of complicated sugar blowing by presenting a fast method featuring Venuance Sugar Pearls.

3:30 – 5:00 – Special Celebrity Demonstrator – NICHOLAS LODGE –Nicholas continues with creating gumpaste pumpkins, berries, fruits, grasses, butterflies and roses.

5:15 – 6:45 – Special Celebrity Demonstrator –RON BEN-ISRAEL. Ron will demonstrate a variety of Sugar Orchids -- forming, assembling, and coloring. Ron says, “I often bring new ideas to demos I'm working on, as I get bored quickly with old ones. That way, I can involve my audience in the process.”

Sunday, October 10, 2004

8.00 Entrants should ask if their cake is being photographed and be present during this time to escort the entry to the photographic studio

10:00 a.m. - Show open to public

10:00 - 11:30 a.m. - Special Celebrity Demonstrator –RON BEN-ISRAEL. "From the hardware store to Park Avenue "Decorative side designs - The "New York" way (fast and elegant) including: "lace applique", and "romantic touches for the busy decorator".

11:45 – 1:15 p.m. – Special Celebrity Demonstrator - NICHOLAS LODGE. Nicholas will complete the final stages of the gumpaste decorations including the dusting and coloring of the gumpaste flowers, fruits and berries.

1:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Special Celebrity Demonstrator – RON BEN-ISRAEL – having a sense of humor when assembling and finishing the wedding cake. Arranging sugar flower accents.

3:15 – 4:45 p.m. – Special Celebrity Demonstrator –NICHOLAS LODGE – Nick's final demonstration will show the painting of the embossing, final assembly of the basket of gumpaste flowers and the finishing touches to complete the finished cake. Completing and assembling the wedding cake.

5:00 p.m. - Awards Ceremony

6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Removal of cakes

SPECIAL EVENT

WEDDING CAKES OFF THE WALL 2004

Wedding cakes must be inspired by wallpaper designs!

2005 GATEAU DES MARIAGE

see you all there. Larry

[Wendy DeBord]

Something to look forward to: I've been informed by Kerry Vincent that the 2004 Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show will be re-aired on FoodTV during Wedding Week in June 2005. She believes it will be shown several times during the course of that week which will be dedicated to wedding issues. No airtimes are known yet.

Another great show for decorators: There will be reruns of the first event 'The Matchmaker'-under the name of 'Here Comes the Cake' airtimes are March 12, 2005 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, 12:00 a.m. ET/PT and March 13th, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Also, I hope you all do check out our Calendar regularly. I just posted info. on an event Kerry is sponsoring in April. Look here.

[Kerry]

Something to look forward to: I've been informed by Kerry Vincent that the 2004 Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show "Wedding Cakes off the Wall" will be aired on Food Network TV and renamed the 'Wedding Challenge' during Wedding Week in June 2005. She believes it will be shown several times during the course of that week which will be dedicated to wedding issues.

Initial airtimeSun., June 12 at 10 pm & 2 am ET/PT.

Another great show for decorators: There will be reruns of the first event 'The Matchmaker'-under the name of 'Here Comes the Cake' airtimes are March 12, 2005 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, 12:00 a.m. ET/PT and March 13th, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Also, I hope you all do check out our Calendar regularly. I just posted info. on an event Kerry is sponsoring in April. Look here.

←

[Wendy DeBord]

I'm glad you brought this up Kerry! Good tv this weekend!!

[Wendy DeBord]

Urrg, I have to work a double shift today and will probably miss this show. You all will have to tell me what cool things I missed!

[Kerry]

OKLAHOMA STATE SUGAR ART SHOW CELEBRITY DEMONSTRATORS FOR 2005

WONDERFUL FREE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY FOR ATTENDEES.

ALAN DUNN

WORLD LEADER IN SUGAR FLOWERS

Leading international sugarcraft designer and writer Alan Dunn hails from the North East of England. He specializes in producing superb collections of exotic, bridal, garden and British wildflowers. His genuinely realistic flowers are simply stunning and he has a wonderfully uninhibited style of his own. Alan has successfully published Sugar Inspirations -Wild Flowers, Sugar Flowers for all Seasons, Floral Wedding Cakes and Sprays, Exotic Sugar Flowers for Cakes, and collaborated on Sugar Roses, and Sugar Orchids, and Modeling in Cold Porcelain with his two of his closest friends Tombi Peck and Tony Warren. His latest book is Flowers and Foliage for Wedding Cakes, which has just been launched by the B.Dutton Publishing House - part of the Squires Kitchen Group.

Alan has firmly established himself as one of Sugarcraft's foremost experts in sugar flower design. His interest in cake decorating started when he was very young - his Grandfather was a Master baker and Confectioner by trade. However, his interest in sugar flower modeling started when he was only fourteen. At first he taught himself basic sugarpaste flowers and techniques from Australian cake decorating books, and then attended private classes with his first Tutor Margaret Morland, and then Tombi Peck, Peter Stott, Maureen Stevenson, Nadene Hurst and Nicholas Lodge. It was through these early lessons that he was introduced and subsequently joined The British Sugar Craft Guild. He then trained to be a baker/confectioner himself studying the old City and Guilds Bakery and Flour Confectionery Courses. Alan began to demonstrate his skills to branches of the Guild at the age of 17 while he was still at college. He was one of the first and youngest members of the Guild to train and pass the training sessions. He still travels to teach and demonstrate extensively throughout Great Britain. His overseas teaching destinations include USA and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Sweden, The Channel Islands, and most recently Japan.

Now, almost 18 years later, Alan is recognized not only for his artistic talents in producing life-like flowers, but also for his informative, relaxed and occasionally chaotic teaching style. Although Alan prefers not to enter competitions his work is often requested for display on the Table of Honour (or as he prefers to call it -- Table of Horror!). He has also won several Best in Show prizes for work on general display at exhibitions. Alan prefers to make flowers that please him in the hope that perhaps they might appeal to others too. His interest in Sugarcraft started as a hobby, and although it is now his occupation he still tries to view sugarcraft techniques from a hobbyist's point of view. Most of the baked cakes he makes for people tend to be for friends and family.

He is a trained judge for The Porcelaina Society, and also judges annually at both the Squires Kitchen exhibition and at the Celcakes exhibition.

Dunn is also interested in other craft subjects with floral themes including Cold Porcelain, waxed crepe paper flowers, silk flowers.

Alan is a valued and regular contributor to the Squires Kitchen Cakes & Sugarcraft and Wedding cakes -Design Source magazines, and to The British Sugarcraft Guild Newsletter.

There is an opportunity to be a part of his two-day class after the show -- but there are only two spaces left... this is hands on and $200 for the two-days.

CHEF JOHN KRAUSE

PASTRY CHEF/ INSTRUCTOR AT THE FRENCH PASTRY SCHOOL

In August 2002, The French Pastry School proudly welcomed John Kraus as Chef Instructor. A rising star at an early age, Kraus trained as a chef and began his career in London, England, at the Dorchester Hotel. In the kitchen there, he worked with the Boulangers and became captivated by the ritual of afternoon tea and the beautiful and intricate pastry he saw each day. Still convinced he should be versatile in the kitchen, Kraus was next hired for general duties by Chef Michel Perraud, Meilleur Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne, and contributed to the opening of the Michelin star restaurant, Fleur de Sel. He continued to assist the pastry chef there in an unofficial capacity.

Upon his return to the U.S., Chef Kraus worked in pastry with Chef Robert Waggoner at the famed five-star, five-diamond Wild Boar restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee. He was then appointed Executive Pastry Chef at the exclusive Magnolia restaurant under Chef Emile Labrousse. He is best known in Chicago for the innovative desserts he created while serving as Pastry Chef at NoMI restaurant in the Park Hyatt Hotel Chicago. "John has a beautiful sense of the classic, with a modern twist," says Executive Chef Sandro Gamba of the Park Hyatt. "I love his pastry and he always knows what will please the customer."

After Kraus attended an intensive workshop with Sebastien Canonne, he and Pfeiffer saw in Kraus a unique combination of discipline and innovation that matched perfectly the mission of the school. Kraus's depth of understanding about ingredients and equipment was rare and reflected their own standards. In 1999, Chef Kraus was invited to join The French Pastry School in Chicago. Over the last three years he has worked diligently with his mentors, Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer and Chef Sebastien Canonne, participating in major competitions and special events across the U.S. and France.

Kraus's fascination with pastry covers a range from viennoiserie to chocolate to candies and confections. Once called a romantic teacher by a former student because of his obvious love for what he does, Kraus is known at The French Pastry School as a generous teacher who makes his lessons applicable to his students' futures in commercial kitchens or their own businesses. He takes his students to new levels by creating an environment where they are free to take chances. Kraus's most recent awards include the prestigious 2002 Patisfrance Pastry Chef of the Year and the National Dessert Champion of 2002. He has completed numerous stages under Pastry Chef Pascal Caffet in Troyes, France, at Le Palais du Chocolat.

Chef John Kraus's passion and vision for the art of pastry has become a great asset to The French Pastry School and its students.

[cakesuite]

Hi Kerry,

Any word on the 2005 show? If there's a date set, please post it. Thanks!

[Kerry]

This year the sugar art show is on October 8 and 9 with setup on the 7th.

Alan Dunn's class after the show is at the host hotel -- 10 and 11.

Hope to see you there.

Kerry