Yesterday, Retail Bakers of America announced the people who will be competing at the 2016 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), to be held October 8-11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
IBIE is the largest and most comprehensive event for the grain-based food industry in the Western Hemisphere.
At the Pillsbury Bakers’ Plus Creative Decorating Competition, six two-person teams will compete for other top cake decorators from around the country for the Grand Championship, as well as $14,000 in cash prizes. The prestigious competition is open to all professional cake decorators or pastry chefs currently working full- or part-time in a cake/cupcake shop, retail or supermarket bakery. They will be tested in their imagination, artistry, and skill.
The final competitors are:
- Jamie VanderWoude (Cub Foods) and Erika Youndahl (Jerry’s Foods)
- Chris Andrews (Kristen’s Danish Bakery) and Tammy Montesinos (Sweet T’s Bakery and Cake Studio)
- Sarah Crews and Daniel Lively (Ele Cake Company)
- Jennifer Claggett and Sabrina Fiffe (Love Cakes by Dorothy Lane)
- Christy Vega-Gluch and Kim Crapps (Itsy Bitsy Confections)
- Kate White and Melissa Kroger (Honeymoon Bakery)
Each squad will compete in four categories: wedding cake (sponsored by Pfeil and Holing), rolled fondant (sponsored by Satin Fine Foods), tiered graduation (sponsored by DecoPac), and sculpted (sponsored by CSM). The highest scoring team, as determined by a panel of judges, will be awarded the coveted Pillsbury Baker’s Plus Grand Champion Trophy. Gold, silver and bronze medals, along with cash prizes will also be awarded for the highest three scores in each category.
Lynn Schurman, the director of education at RBA, says that they are looking forward to the creativity and innovation that these competitors will bring to the contest. “We’ve revamped the presentation on the show floor to elevate competitors and their creations and provide them a better opportunity to showcase their considerable talents,” Schurman says.
