PUHI — First day of class resembled the set of The Food Network’s Food Challenge. Bronwen Weber, who has made appearances on the Food Challenge program, was in town for a four-series workshop, dubbed appropriately, “Cake Class.” Students returning to
PUHI — First day of class resembled the set of The Food Network’s Food Challenge.
Bronwen Weber, who has made appearances on the Food Challenge program, was in town for a four-series workshop, dubbed appropriately, “Cake Class.”
Students returning to the Kaua‘i Community College culinary arts program had a day’s jump on the rest of the student body as Weber opened up her Hawai‘i tour with two classes at KCC, the first taking place Sunday, a day before classes were scheduled to start for the fall semester.
“She came last year and did a workshop on the Big Island,” said Farsheed Bonakdar, CEO and president of Cocoa Outlet, a full service distributor of chocolate and cocoa products based in Kona on the Big island. “After she came, we got all kinds of phone calls from other places that wanted her to do classes as well.”
The Big Island distributor is coordinating the tour of the guest celebrity chef as she makes her way through the state.
Bonakder, who was escorting the celebrity chef, said for this year, Weber designed four courses, one for each island.
According to the Cocoa Outlet Web site, each course is hands on and is packed with a lot of her unique techniques and information on creating masterpiece cakes.
“Her specialty is competition cakes and fondant,” said chef Martina Hilldorfer, one of the KCC culinary instructors. “We are lucky to have her work with the students.”
While in Hawai‘i, Weber started with her first beginning course at the KCC culinary arts facility where her topics included traditional and modern fondant techniques, and “Shades of Chocolate,” where students created cakes suitable for a wedding or groom’s cake using four shades of chocolate fondant and hand modeling techniques.
Examples of student work graced tables in the fine dining facility even on Wednesday, two days after Weber’s departure to the Big Island for Lesson 2.
Weber was not hesitant in pulling students out of their chairs and getting them to ice cakes, or get themselves immersed into working with the fondant using her trademark bubbly enthusiasm and coach-like encouragement.
“That’s exactly what she is,” Bonakdar said. “She’s a cake coach.”
Students taking advantage of Weber’s visit were encouraged by the Cocoa Outlet Web site to visit each of the classes that advanced from beginner’s to advanced.
On the Big Island, Weber’s class was themed “Topsy Turvy Cake” where the traditional wedding cake was replaced by colorful and dramatic cakes.
This class delved into the realm of the food challenge shows where cake artists create cakes that look like they are going to fall over, and sometimes do.
Additionally, Weber touched on sculpting into the fondant.
The third lesson that will be held at the Kapiolani Community College Aug. 26 and 27 covers advanced fondant techniques and airbrushing where students will start airbrushing everything after the class, the Web site syllabus states.
On Maui, Weber will lead the students into “Extreme Sculpting.” That course is scheduled for Aug. 29-30 at the Maui Community College.
Students will delve into sculpting dragons and dinosaurs after learning the structural elements necessary to make a standing dragon or dinosaur.
Jennifer Bartos, Weber’s assistant on four Food Network Challenge shows, also accompanied the chef and Bonakder.
For more information, visit the Cocoa Outlet Web site at http://cocoaoutlet.com.
