I'm interested in taking a class later in the year that is more advanced than the Wilton Method class, which I have taken all 4. I've looked at the Wilton School, but their prices are stupid high and I live in Columbus, OH. I'm willing to travel for them, so does anyone know of any others anywhere?
Kristen
If you're in Ohio, you're not too far from the Toronto area. Check out Klara Johnson who offers classes out of her shop in Cambridge (just west of Toronto). She's excellent and has a world reknowned reputation. Her website is klarajohnsons.com and her classes are posted there.
It's very hard to find quality classes that are within a reasonable driving distance --so that you can go for an hour or two one day a week for a certain period.
If you need to travel to a destination and stay there for the duration of the class, the Wilton School is extremely reasonable when it comes to cost. Using the Master's class as an example, it costs $800 for 10 days. You actually work on techniques for 9 of those days. Each day is 7 hrs. of working time (1hr. for lunch), so being "harsh", the cost is $12.70.hr. Another execellent classt is the Beyond Master's working with real cake--$450 for 5 days--8 hrs. working each day--$11.25/hr.
In the area around the school, you can get nice hotel rooms for $45-60/night. Of course this adds up, but travel to any extended class requires this outlay, too. If you can share travel expenses, so much the better.
I go to many of the ICES mini classes. I figure I pay about $20/hr. for each class--and that doesn't include registration fees, travel costs, or hotel costs. Those classes are what I'd call "samplers" and they're wonderful, but it's hard to really learn how to do some things well in just 3-6 hrs.
Sadly, to go beyond the basic Wilton classes, you pretty much have to invest a good chunk of change to go to the area where the classes are held.
Rae
I'm in the same boat as you Kristen, but I don't even want to bother with the Wilton classes. For some reason I have this weird perception that they are not worth the money, etc., but I've read that a lot of people on here started that way. Let me know if you find anything in Ohio.
The Beyond Masters Course is also offered at the Wilton School, in addition to the original Masters Course. The Masters Course is two weeks while the Beyond Masters is a one week course. Both are described in detail on the Wilton website.
I haven't take the courses yet, but the ones I spoke w/ personally couldn't say enough good things about how much they learned while in the Masters classes. It's a pretty intensive two weeks, if I understand correctly. (I haven't talked w/ anyone who has taken the Beyond Masters yet.) HTH
I would call you local cake supply stores and ask them if they have classes. I go to one not too far from my house and the classes are great. I first took the 3 Wilton classes then moved over to theirs. So far I have had smooth a cake, cookies, intermediate, fondant draping, whimsical and figure piping. I am looking forward to taking more classes there including one from Bronwen Weber this summer!
Melissa
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