Welcome to Caljava International’s Academy of Cake Design & Sugar Art!

We are proud to be one of the first decorating facilities in the United States that offers a unique learning environment.  Caljava hosts world-renowned experts & instructors in the industry, who provide personalized attention in a small classroom sized setting, & teach classes at our facility in Northridge, California.

Our hands-on classes are usually limited to only 27 students per session allowing students to have direct interaction with the instructors.  Students have their own personal workspace (a 48-inch stainless steel table) to use during the class.  Additionally our course fees are all inclusive and encompass all of the items required to construct the projects made in class, such as: cake dummies (or real cakes), the use of tools (rolling pins, molds, brushes, etc.), fondant, airbrush equipment and much more.  You do not need to worry about any hidden charges or fees for the course materials.  Just bring an apron, your enthusiasm and willingness to learn and we supply everything else!

We offer breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day to all our students during the course sessions as another added benefit included in our course fee.

If you have taken classes at CalJava before, please know that the course curriculum changes every year.  The same instructor will not teach the exact same course again.  Instructors will share the newest techniques and cake designs so you won't want to miss out.

Come learn from the best! Check out our All Star Roster of past instructors.

We currently do not have any classes scheduled.

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Ron Ben-Israel

www.weddingcakes.com

Chef Ron Ben-Israel's confectionary masterpieces have been featured in numerous publications, including InStyle Wedding, Modern Bride, Martha Stewart Living andVogue, as well as network television appearances on Bravo and hosts the reality-based cooking television show Sweet Genius on Food Network.  Ron is also an Adjunct Professor at the French Culinary Institute in New York City.  He uses real flowers for his inspiration, but it is his unique, signature techniques that allow him to create amazingly lifelike sugar flowers.  Chef Ron’s Bling Bling Sugarflowers Class has been a student favorite.

We have been honored to have Chef Ron teaching at CalJava International for many consecutive years.

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Bronwen Weber & Francois Long

http://www.frostedart.com/

Chef Bronwen Weber has been a pastry chef and renowned cake decorator based in Dallas, Texas.  In her 20 year career she has worked at a variety of bakeries and won numerous awards, including the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show grand prize in the wedding cake division.  She is a frequent competitor on Food Network Challenge cake decorating competitions, having competed over twenty times.  Bronwen and her husband Francois Long has developed their world renown Topsy Turvy Stands that help with building the every popular Topsy Turvy Cakes easily with out any special baking pans or cutting.  They have also developed the famous 3D freestanding Man Stand that makes creating a Man Shaped Cake easy to do for any cake artist.  Bronwen has taught sell out classes that range from “Making Topsy Turvy Cakes, to Elegant Wedding Cakes, 3D Man Stand Cake, and many different carving and airbrushing classes.  Bronwen has been a member of our Caljava’s team of instructors for many many years.  

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Kerry Vincent with her Romantic Wedding Cake Techniques

http://oklahomasugarartists.com/

Founder & Director of the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, Commissioning editor of 'Here Comes the Cake'

Freelance feature writer for the food service industry and bridal markets, international celebrity presenter and demonstrator.  Author of Romantic Wedding Cakes. Judge of Food Network Challenge cake television show.

Kerry Vincent creates wedding and specialty cakes like no other. Kerry is an artist, specializing in stylish, haute couture, custom-designed wedding cakes.  Kerry will include techniques from her best selling book as well as the design on the cover of 'Here Comes the Cake'.  A renowned cake designer; her career includes creating a cake for the golden wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth.  Kerry, an international gold medalist has invented many innovative techniques and has won a host of best of show and blue ribbon awards.  In recognition of her skill and accomplishments, Kerry was recently inducted into the ICES International Sugar-craft Hall of Fame in Washington D.C..

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Colette Peters

http://www.colettescakes.com/

In 1990, Colette began teaching cake decorating and has traveled throughout the United States & Europe, sharing her expertise. She has instructed students at the Culinary Institute of America in California, The French Culinary Institute, The French Pastry School, The Wilton School and The Notter School of Pastry Arts. Please take a moment and view the Slide Show of photos taken during Collete's class at CalJava International last year.

She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, The TV Food Network, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Discovery Channel, CNN, and Lifetime Television. She worked as a designer for Tiffany & Company for 8 years.

Creator of special cakes, Colette has delivered cakes throughout America, Europe, and the Caribbean and has created cakes for many celebrities, including Sting, Natasha Richardson, Bette Midler, Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Rivers, Tommy Trune, Al Pacino, Earth Kitt and Robert Altman, just to name a few. She created cakes for the wedding of Marie-Chantal Miller and Prince Pavlos in Greece, and also Alexandra Miller and Alexander Von Furstenburg. In 1996, Colette was chosen to create a cake honoring the Renwick Museum as part of 150th Anniversary Celebration for Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

In 1998, Colette was asked by First Lady Hilary Clinton, to create 3 "Sugar Scenes" for the Red Room, the Green Room and the Grand Foyer, as part of the White House Christmas decorations. She was then asked again to create decorations for the White House 2000 Holiday season.

Awards:
The Societe Culinaire Philanthropique awarded Colette three gold medals and the Grand Prix de Paris Award. She is the member of The Baker's Dozen East, The New York Women's Culinary Alliance, and The International Cake Exploration Society.

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Michelle Bommarito

www.michellebommarito.com

TV Network Victory Cake and a Sculpted Romantic Wedding Cake

The distinctiveness and uniqueness of Chef Michelle Bommarito's cake designs have been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles including, Martha Stewart Living, Bride's Magazine, Oakland Style Magazine and the Detroit Free Press.  She was invited to participate in a Bride Magazine Special Edition spotlighting 20 Wedding Cake Designers from around the country, and is currently working with Bride Magazine on a May 2010 photo shoot that will showcase her talents.
Chef Bommarito gained nationwide exposure when she was selected as one of five wedding cake designers to compete in Food Network's first Wedding Cake Challenge television program.  She has won three of the eight challenges; bringing home one gold medal and two silver medals, and continues to accept invitations to compete in future Food Network Challenges.

She is a graduate of The Institute of Culinary Education and is accredited in the Culinary Arts.

While in New York, she had the privilege of assisting the Executive Chef at the historic and world-renowned Waldorf Astoria hotel.  She was a Freelance Artist for Martha Stewart Omni Media and at Living Magazine, and appeared alongside Martha Stewart during a spring 2000 program where she demonstrated assembly of an intricately themed "Spring Garden" cake.

Chef Bommarito was sole-proprietor of her own company Michelle Bommarito, LLC, however, in 2009 she stepped out of the Bake Shoppe and is now focusing on expanding her teaching opportunities throughout the United States.  She travels extensively offering inspirational Wedding Cake Design Workshops and frequently judges Cake Competitions across the country.

Chef Michelle has been a bright, new addition to CalJava's team of instructors!

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Lindy Smith

http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/

Lindy began making novelty cakes when her children were small, and then, as the ideas began to flow, she created all kinds of special occasion cakes and commissions. As a highly experienced cake designer and the author of eight cake decorating books, she receives numerous invitations from schools all over the world to come teach her highly-specialized sugarcraft. In 2009, we will have the privilege of having Lindy teach at CalJava!

When she entered her first competition in 1997, she won three Gold Awards for her whimsical designs at the British Sugarcraft Guild's International Exhibition. She has appeared on television program in the UK, presented a sugarcraft series on
Good Food Live and is an accredited demonstrator on the British Sugarcraft Guild.
She has had her cakes featured in the British magazines: "Wedding Cakes-a Design Source" and "Wedding Ideas". She will be demonstrating her unique sugarcraft skills at the I.C.E.S. Convention in Orlando Florida in 2008.

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Debbie Brown

http://www.debbiebrownscakes.co.uk/

Debbie Brown is an accomplished, world-class cake decorator, author, teacher and demonstrator who started her career making imaginative birthday cakes for her own three  children.

Her creatively decorated cakes were much admired in England and, as the news of her talents started to spread around the world, soon she began receiving commissions for her work.

Debbie is the author of several successful cake decorating books, including:
Favorite Character Cakes, Lovable Character Cakes, Creative Cakes for Men, 50 Easy Cakes, Enchanted Cakes for Children, Magical Cakes, and Cartoon Cakes. She is also a contributing author for several leading magazine.

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Carol Webb & Susan Carberry

Carol Webb has owned and operated her bakery, The Cakery for over 30 years. The Cakery is known for its award winning desserts and wedding cakes. She has the knack of taking tedious, complicated techniques and making them simple for production-minded bakers/decorators.

Carol has been a member of I.C.E.S. for many years, serving as Oregon State Representative, Treasurer and Secretary and also as the Co Show Director for the I.C.E.S. Portland Oregon convention in 2001. As an international judge, demonstrator and teacher, we can see some of her works that has been featured in American Cake Magazine and I.C.E.S. Newsletters.

Susan enrolled in her first class over 12 years ago and after that the “Game Was On!” She just couldn’t get enough of this wonderful world of “Sugar Art”. She then began entering cake shows, joining local cake clubs and proceeded to start teaching cake decorating classes just one year later. Another year after that she began working as the Lead Cake Designer for a bakery in Dana Point, California, helping it to become one of the most sought out bakeries in Orange County. During that time, she was also privileged and experienced enough to start giving “Sugar Art” instruction and demonstrations across the USA.

Susan’s “Edible Works of Art” have won numerous awards and have been featured in magazines such as “American Cake Decorator” and “Here Comes the Cake.” She has appeared on the Food Networks show “Top Five” and won 1st place with her unique “3 Dimensional Cookies.” She has also competed on TLC’s “Ultimate Cake Off” twice. On season one (The Pirate Episode) placing 2nd and on season two (The Roller Derby Episode) winning the competition and a check for $10.000. In 2010 she was selected to make the centerpiece cake for the ICES Show in San Diego, California. The cake base alone was an 8 ft by 8 ft platform and the cake stood over 13 ft tall. It featured all the sights and attractions of San Diego which included, a spinning surfboard and palm trees as the topper, a rotating Lego Land helicopter, lights and even a water squirting seal that worked by remote control, so when unsuspecting victims would come in close to get a good look at the cute little guy……”POW!”, the next thing they knew they were soaked and everyone around then got a big laugh! ( A big hit with the hotel staff) Susan even had the famous San Diego Trolley running through the center of the cake and through the various cities of the region.

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Maisie Parrish

http://www.maisieparrish.com/

Maisie Parrish is an accomplished writer, International Tutor and Demonstrator who travels the world sharing her unique modeling skills. Maisie is completely self taught and specializes in creating cute and colorful characters for cakes.  Maisie is the author of several published books including: Cakes with Character, Dough Craft Workstation, Sugar Dough Magic, and Marzipan Magic. In the United Kingdom, she has appeared on UK TV for The Good Food Show and also on QVC Shopping Channel.

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Kim Morrison

http://www.kmcakes.com/

Certified Master Sugar Artist, Kim Morrison, has been creating stunning wedding cakes in the central Pennsylvania region for more than twenty years, and is the owner of Cakes for Occasions by Kim Morrison.

Originally an artist with a BFA in glassblowing and watercolor, she chose to become a cake designer and sugar artist since "chocolate tastes so much better than paint!" As Grand Prize winner in both the 2003 and 2004 National Wedding Cake Competitions held at the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show, Kim and her prize winning entries, "Roses for Besse" and "The Bridal Feast", were featured on the Food Network companion programs: "Here Comes the Cake" and the Challenge series "Wedding Cake Classic".

Kim's work has been featured in the magazines: "Here Comes the Cake", "American Cake Decorating", and in the I.C.E.S. Newsletter. She has been a teacher and demonstrator for several years. She maintains a full schedule creating custom-designed wedding cakes, serving as director of the Pennsylvania State Cake Show, and indulging in her love of competition sugar art.

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Linda Shonk

Developer of Choco-Pan rolled icing and an A.C.F. certified Executive Pastry Chef.

Linda has owned and operated both retail and wholesale bakeries since 1974 and is a highly sought after culinary instructor.  She teaches students at Sweet Art, Inc. (her place of business in Indianapolis), Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis and travels around the United States giving classes and seminars on a wide variety of topics and techniques.  She has also been a guest instructor at Indiana University, Purdue University and International Sugar Art in Atlanta.  Linda has received many awards and much praise for her work as culinary artist including A.C.F. gold, silver and bronze medals and the prestigious Concepts In Food award.  Her works were published in 'Here Comes the Cake'.  In addition to her work as an instructor, Linda's product Choco-Pan has made an impact on the rolled icing market and has shattered the stereotypes of "rolled fondant" in general.

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Lucinda Larson

Lucinda Larson was one of the first people in the U.S. to learn and use rolled fondant. She received her degree in Visual Communication Technology, has been decorating for 32 years and teaching for 24 years.

She owns Lucinda's Cakes of Distinction; has worked at the world-famous Cake Box and with Hall of Fame members Le King and Roland Winbeckler, as well as other top decorators. She has also worked in many in-store bakeries and privately owned bakeries.

Lucinda is a Lifetime Member, former Show Director and former Washington State Representative for the International Cake Exploration Societe (I.C.E.S.). She is a Member and Past President of the Washington State Sugar Arts, and is currently one of the Chef Instructors at the Art Institute of Seattle.

Lucinda is the "Buttercream Queen" and is currently working on her book called, "Beautiful Borders Book".

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Betty Van Norstrand - The Legend in Couture Wedding Cakes

Betty Van Norstrand is a legendary artist in the couture wedding cake business. Betty was featured in a Christmas television special for Victoria Magazine and the Food TV Network. She is a regularly featured artist in several publications including Brides, Modern Bride and Victoria.

In 1987 Betty was inducted into ICES International Sugar Craft Hall of Fame. As a specialty instructor for Culinary Institute of America for Advanced Cake Decorating and the International Pastry Arts Center, Betty has taught several famous cake artists nationwide and the world. Her impeccable reputation is truly second to none.

Her artistry has won her numerous awards including: Gold and Silver Medals from the Culinary Olympic in Frankfurt, Germany; Salon of Culinary of Arts; New York Coliseum & Javits Center; Gold Medals from the American Culinary Federation; the Societe Culinaire Philantropique of Switzerland; Recontres Professionalles of France, and many more.

One of Betty's signature projects was a collaboration with Chef Alber Kumin and the International Pastry Arts on creating a giant cake for the 15th Anniversary of Walt Disney World.

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Teresa Baker

Cold Porcelain and Gelatin Innovation

Teresa is a bilingual (English & Spanish), experienced and creative cake decorating instructor. She was a supervisor and head instructor for the Mercedes Vocational School in Los Angeles and was a Wilton Method Instructor.

Over the years, she has attended many well known courses to further her skills and knowledge in cake decorating. Her expertise in Cold Porcelain modeling is unique, and she enjoys sharing her easy-to-learn techniques to students of all skill levels. Her classes include how to make your own Cold Porcelain dough and how her gelatin works can be used when decorating special occasion cakes. When using these two style elements on a cake, they can make both beautiful and profitable selling items for your establishment.

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Daniel Budiman

www.CaljavaOnline.com

Daniel has been in the Cake and Bakery Industry for 30 years and had spent many years running a full service bakery catering to the greater Los Angeles area.  It first began as a full line retail bakery in West Hills, California, selling treats such as breads, cookies, danishes and cakes.  Then in 1989, decided to make the transition into becoming a specialty cake business.  Soon after, the bakery quickly became one of the most popular bakeries in Southern California.  Daniel shares his trials and tribulations of operating his own bakery and shares his special tips and tricks that every bakery business owner should know.  Daniel discusses his take on pricing cakes, deliveries, marketing and developing new products.

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Video Instructors.

Ruth Rickey

http://www.ruthrickey.com/

Ruth Rickey is a former attorney and administrative law judge. She fell in love with cakes and became manager of an upscale grocery store in Oklahoma City. After 5 years, she was named top Bakery Manager for IGA's 3200 stores in 31 countries and knew that it was time to open her own shop.

Ruth opened Ruth's Sweete Justice Bakery in 2000 and ran it until December of 2011. The bakery was widely respected as one of the top sweets providers in Oklahoma. Ruth closed the shop in order to focus on teaching - her true passion. Since January, 2012, Ruth has been teaching all over the US and Canada and, in 2013, will be all over the world.

Ruth is an ICES Certified Master Sugar Artist.  Ruth has been seen on WE TV's Wedding Cake Wars (her team won), twice on TLC's Ultimate Cake Off (assistant to Pat Jacoby on two wins) and on three specials on The Food Network about The Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show.

Ruth is now a dedicated Instructor & Demonstrator, and is also a die hard Oklahoma Thunder fan.

Watch Ruth Rickey’s Cake Decorating Tutorials:

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Anna Ellison

http://charmcitycakeswest.com

Anna was born in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art. Anna began her career at Charm City Cakes over eight years ago as their first intern and third employee ever and has been giving Duff Goldman a hard time ever since. She is most well known for her role on the hit reality TV show Ace of Cakes.  She is a cutthroat scrabble player with a fondness for all things domestic and a diehard Baltimore Ravens fan.

Watch Anna Ellison’s Cake Decorating Tutorials: http://caljavaonline.com/pages/annas-cake-videos

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Bronwen Weber

http://www.frostedart.com/

Chef Bronwen Weber has been a pastry chef and renowned cake decorator based in Dallas, Texas.  In her 20 year career she has worked at a variety of bakeries and won numerous awards, including the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show grand prize in the wedding cake division.  She is a frequent competitor on Food Network Challenge cake decorating competitions, having competed over twenty times.  Bronwen and her husband Francois Long has developed their world renown Topsy Turvy Stands that help with building the every popular Topsy Turvy Cakes easily with out any special baking pans or cutting.  They have also developed the famous 3D freestanding Man Stand that makes creating a Man Shaped Cake easy to do for any cake artist.  Bronwen has taught sell out classes that range from “Making Topsy Turvy Cakes, to Elegant Wedding Cakes, 3D Man Stand Cake, and many different carving and airbrushing classes.  Bronwen has been a member of our Caljava’s team of instructors for many many years. 

Bronwen shares many tips and tricks that she has learned along the way of her career and opens up about many of her past cake experiences.

Watch Bronwen Weber’s Cake Decorating Tutorials:

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Reva Alexander-Hawk

http://www.mercibeaucoupweddings.com/

A distinguished alumnus of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and star of WE TV’s Amazing Wedding Cakes, Reva Alexander-Hawk is an award winning pastry chef with over 10 years of experience in the art of cake design.  Her work mirrors the evolving advancements in culinary form, as she never ceases to educate and learn from the best chefs in the world.  Internationally influenced, Reva uses her expertise to craft a cake unique to your own personality and desires.

A long time supplier of exquisite pastries and desserts for the Hollywood community and select caterers, Reva conceived the idea of using her talents to make special events shine. What started out as an occasional favor to their extended network of friends and family, culminated in a series of highly successful events at the film industry’s annual Day in the Dirt racing weekend. For 8 years running, Reva has provided sustenance and sweets for the tables of film and television personalities, stuntmen, extreme sports stars, and leaders of industry.

From these promising beginnings, Reva set to introduce everyone to her one of a kind style and attitude. The goal: to establish a relationship with our customers that allow us to listen to and fulfill their edible fantasies. The result is Merci Beaucoup Weddings.

Watch Reva Alexander-Hawk’s Cake Decorating Tutorials: 

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Daniel Budiman

www.CaljavaOnline.com

Daniel has been in the Cake and Bakery Industry for 30 years and had spent many years running a full service bakery catering to the greater Los Angeles area.  It first began as a full line retail bakery in West Hills, California, selling treats such as breads, cookies, danishes and cakes.  Then in 1989, decided to make the transition into becoming a specialty cake business.  Soon after, the bakery quickly became one of the most popular bakeries in Southern California.  Daniel shares his trials and tribulations of operating his own bakery and shares his special tips and tricks that every bakery business owner should know.  Daniel discusses his take on pricing cakes, deliveries, marketing and developing new products.

Watch Daniel’s Cake Decorating Videos: 

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Alan & Meghan Budiman

www.CaljavaOnline.com

Alan & Meghan Budiman have grown up in the family bakery, and have grown up in the cake industry ever since they could remember.  Alan has 2 degrees in both Business and Art from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, and currently works as Operations Manager at Caljava.  He can usually be found playing with his 2 dogs, Cali and Fraggle.  Meghan will be graduating college from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Business Entrepreneurship with a minor in Graphic Arts.  When not in school she can be found riding her long board along the Pacific.

View Alan & Meghan’s Cake Decorating Videos:

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Cake Travels

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4AEA0EAC29296A8

Follow Bronwen Weber as she explores the island of Bali, & Jakarta Indonesia. The FoodNetwork Challenge Winner, World Renown Cake Designer, & Instructor shares the art of cakes to the other side of the world & discovers new meanings to Cake. She gives back to the country that she had once grew up in, & teaches decorators how to make a 3D freestanding Man Cake. Follow Bronwen & her husband Francois as they adventure through the exotic islands searching for Cake, Great Food, & New Experiences.

Watch the Cake Travels Reality Cake Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf4HS0hDWSg&list=PLB4AEA0EAC29296A8

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