Sugar Arts Institute

Julie Bashore, Master Confectioner, is a native of England who has an award winning, thirty-year background in Culinary and Confectionery Arts. Julie has taught courses and demonstrated at expositions in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, USA, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Costa Rica and Vietnam. Julie studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Salisbury Rhodesia; studied and taught at Fabilo International School of Confection in Lucerne, Switzerland; was accredited to the Swiss Chef’s Association and taught at Butler’s Wharf Chef’s School in London, England. Julie has worked extensively throughout the United States creating cake programs and training cake decorators at in-store, retail and specialized bakeries. Julie has written numerous articles for Modern Baking, American Cake Decorating and for the Retail Bakers Association of America. Julie catered for Embassies, High Commissions and functions up to 3000 people.

Julie also founded The House of Clarendon in Lancaster Pa. A bakery specializing in custom designed Rolled Fondant wedding and special occasion cakes using traditional, contemporary and lovingly funky designs. In addition to the bakery, Julie hosted a traditional English Tea Parlor serving a wide variety of eclectic savories, pastries and miniature desserts and an eclectic assortment of cakes.

Julie Bashore and her team (whom she personally trained) won THE ULTIMATE CAKE OFF competition on the national television network TLC. She believes this prestigious achievement was due to their extensive skills in all aspects of sugar arts, from Fondant work to cake carving, blown and pulled sugar, cocoa painting, Sugarveil, quilting and draping techniques, baking, butter-cream and many more.

Through her teaching in countries around the world, Julie noticed that there was a void in the market for formal recognition in sugar arts. She has developed a Sugar Arts Certification Program specifically for the sugar arts industry, to unify and standardize this specific career field: CAKE DECORATING AND SUGAR ARTS IS A CAREER UNTO ITSELF! A career that until now has not had the recognition it deserves.

Sweet Escape Confections

Dori White Coy once thought becoming a pastry chef was an unattainable dream. After years of insistence from family and friends to make pastry a career, the dream was finally realized, when her husband enrolled her in culinary school as a birthday gift. After the first day of classes she knew she was meant to become a chef. She was fortunate to study under many talented chefs that inspired her to accomplish goals she never thought possible. While juggling a busy schedule of school, work and motherhood there were times when it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the vision of seeing herself in a white coat and toque drove her to persevere. She is constantly studying; reading and practicing to ensure each of her endeavors are more successful than the last.

Dori lives in Mobile, AL with her husband, Rob and daughter, Sarah. She is the owner of Sweet Escape Confections where she creates custom (edible) works of art. “I always knew that pastry would be a lifelong hobby. I never dreamed something that brought me such happiness would also become a career“