IDDBA Reveals Cake Decorating Challenge Contestants
A trio of extraordinary in-store bakery cake decorators have been chosen to compete in the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) 22nd annual Cake Decorating Challenge to be held at IDDBA 17 in Anaheim, CA, June 4-6.
The decorators receiving an all-expense paid trip to compete are:
Katie Knowles, Marketplace Food and Drug Inc., Minot, N.D.
Knowles began decorating cakes as a hobby in her teens after her parents purchased a bakery. Fifteen years decorating, 12 being at Marketplace, taught her a lot about ‘production decorating’ and she gained experience by working alongside other decorators. With weekly custom cake orders, Knowles says every day is a new experience.
Kassie Mather, Hy-Vee Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Mather has been decorating for seven years. She started decorating at Hy-Vee in 2010 and has since won several Hy-Vee cake decorating competitions, placed first at local cake competitions, and competed on Cake Wars on the Food Network. She loves to train new designers and enjoys decorating in competitions.
Meghan Rolls, Harps Food Stores Inc., Springdale, Ark.
A self-taught decorator, Rolls has been decorating for nine years, five being at Harps. She’s honed her skills by learning the time management and the speed needed to work in a high production bakery. Her experiences have grown because of the daily demand of working in a bakery.
There are three phases to the competition. Each contestant will decorate enough cakes to fill one multi-level, eight-foot bakery case; decorate a tiered wedding cake; and decorate custom design cakes.
The judges for the event will be: Jim Caliendo, Rich Products Corp. and Dustin Humpherys, Maplehurst Bakeries, LLC.
For the second year, attendees can also be judges via a voting opportunity to choose a favorite decorator through the People’s Choice Award.
For more information about IDDBA's Cake Decorating Challenge and/or the Madison, Wis.-based trade association's upcoming annual event, click here.