Photos: Learners show off skills with vintage-inspired cake decorating competition

Posted on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

Baking & Pastry Arts faculty pose for a photo with the competition participants and guest judges.

Baking & Pastry Arts faculty pose for a photo with the competition participants and guest judges.

On Monday, March 2, learners in the Baking & Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts programs showed off their creativity in a 2-hour buttercream decorating competition.

Vintage-inspired buttercream piping uses over-piped layers, intricate swags, delicate ruffles, and shell borders to create a nostalgic, 1930s-style look. Techniques include using star, ruffle, and leaf tips for texture, often with a smooth base layer and contrasting or tonal intricate piping for depth. 

Finished submissions in the cake decorating competition.

Finished submissions in the cake decorating competition.

Six learners entered the competition and were provided with three layers of vanilla cake and buttercream to bring their creations to life with food colouring, edible glitter and their own piping tips and decorating tools.

Finished submissions in the cake decorating competition.

Finished submissions in the cake decorating competition.

Industry guest judges Joe Calabro, Co-Owner of Pasticceria Italiana and Yasin Chouhan, Pastry Chef at the Rogers Center, evaluated the cakes based on masking and cake finish, piping skills and technique, creativity and design impact, theme interpretation, work habits and cleanliness, and time management. Participants ranged from Level 2 to Level 4 in their respective programs.

Finished submission in the cake decorating competition.

Finished submission in the cake decorating competition.

“Competitions like this allow our students to practice their skills or learn new skills. It’s a safe place for creative expression and testing their own limitations. Students often surprise themselves with what they’re capable of and always leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment,” said Anne-Marie Milk, Program Coordinator and Professor, Baking and Pastry Arts.

Congratulations to all participants!

  • 1st Place: Roxanne Catalos
  • 2nd Place: Tanya De Jonge
  • 3rd Place: Yannick Tchuitchu
From left to right: Roxanne Catalos, Tanya De Jonge and Yannick Tchuitchu pictured with Anne-Marie Milk, Program Coordinator, Baking and Pastry Arts.

From left to right: Roxanne Catalos, Tanya De Jonge and Yannick Tchuitchu pictured with Anne-Marie Milk, Program Coordinator, Baking and Pastry Arts.

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