Spreading the skills of sugarpaste all over the world

An independent retailer in Thame, which sells cake-decorating and making equipment internationally, has just said ‘good-bye’ to a class of students from all over the world, who have spent 12 days learning how to make sugarpaste flower sprays with internationally acclaimed specialist, Alan Dunn, in Thame.

Yes, those flowers really ARE made of sugarpaste !

The students were teachers, decorators and hobbiests from places as far as way as Atlanta in Georgia, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong and China. When Thame.Net dropped in to meet the visitors, they were all loving Thame, many of them having explored the town’s pubs and the shops – including one gentleman from Belgium – who happens to be cake-maker to the Belgian Royal Court, who bought several bow ties from Gallant in Greyhound Walk.

Joint owner of the course facilitator, A Piece of Cake in Upper High Street, Norma Laver, said: “It was such a pleasure to meet some amazing, talented people and to see old friends again and meet new ones. I’m looking forward to seeing many of them again next year.”

From L to R – Norma Laver, Michael Lewis-Anderson (cake maker to the Belgian Royal Court), Alan Dunn & Christine Walker. Image courstesy of A Piece of Cake

Norma and her business partner, Jenny Walker, have both won awards for their work. They started A Piece of Cake in 1985 and now have one of the most comprehensive online stores supplying cake decorating equipment to the world. They were the first company to manufacture and sell ready-made, ready to use Flower Paste which is used by some of the worlds top cake decorators.

They are both great supporters of charities, most recently taking part in the Ice Bucket challenge, to raise funds for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the local activity centre for children with special needs, Thomley.