Food Network Challenge - Engagement Cakes
Decorating By beachcakes Updated 5 May 2008 , 12:53pm by aswartzw
I saw the sweet 16 comp, and was a bit turned off by his "I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do" attitude too... But when the opinion of one 16-year-old is the only thing between you and winning, I guess there's not really anyway to "punish" or deduct "points" for pre-made items... Oh well.
I agree. I have seen episodes in which they get ragged on for bringing in premade items. I do like his flowers and lucky for him that he won but this is the reason why brides don't like dealing with some cake decorators and they act the way they do because there are decorators out there that do what they want to do. I believe he won because of the taste. ( did you see that slice of cake and all those layers. MMMMMMMMMM) I think he just knows what he's good at and he might just be afraid to step out of his comfort zone ( like many of us). I cried too when they helped finish Marina's cake. I loved it. I also thought Buddy was a little arrogant but that is how some people handle pressure. Confidence is good sometimes. I loved watching this whole week. I saw the oklahoma sugar art show too. Man those were some beautifully detailed cakes. I love wedding week!!!! I got so many creative ideas for my next wedding cake. I have a wedding cake due in late May and the bride wants a black and white cake and I have free range so i'm excited. I stayed up late all week to watch the reruns and i'm tuning in this weekend too.
(my tongue is embedded so far in my cheek while typing this first part that it is actually hurting) 
I was also appalled... I mean this guy gets invited to aother Food Network Challenge and what does he do? He identifies the one significant advantage that he has over all of his competitors and he uses it to his advantage. (yeah... can you believe the nerve?) And then, he has the nerve to make the "client" love it so much more than the others that they chose him as the winner... man that guy... well... um... well actually he sounds like he will make a fantastic business person once he decides to open his own shop. 
Well... unless doing what you are good at, making customers happy, and making a bunch of money are bad business practices.
Does anyone really believe that each of those other teams didn't have at least 2 cake designs fully drawn days before event? It's the only smart way to do it, have a couple of designs that fit quite a few tastes and alter the colors (and other details) to make fit the "client" after meeting with them. When you get your time to "come up with the design" it is simply the time to redraw the cake you were planning on making but in the new color scheme and with a few tweaks and voila... a "new" cake design that looks remarkably like the one you drew weeks before meeting the clients. 
As far as the premade flowers, In nearly every Food Network challenge a certain percentage of items can be brought in premade, he was obviously within the guidelines pr he would have been DQ'd.
In short... I disagree with the masses... again.
-Kevin
That's what I am saying, the rules are that if you bring something made you have to make another one on site. He only had the petals and he was putting them together on site so he wasn't wrong. I was simply stating that some brides want things there way and kudos to him for having the blessing of changing there mind and the sweet 16 girls too.That cake looked delicious too. I might not have typed it the first time, but thats what I meant. My brain doesn't comunicate with my hands well, sorry
That's what I am saying, the rules are that if you bring something made you have to make another one on site. He only had the petals and he was putting them together on site so he wasn't wrong. I was simply stating that some brides want things there way and kudos to him for having the blessing of changing there mind and the sweet 16 girls too.That cake looked delicious too. I might not have typed it the first time, but thats what I meant. My brain doesn't comunicate with my hands well, sorry
No reason to be sorry... I posted right behind you but I wasn't directing my comments at you... they were directed to the general tone of the thread.
I also think, that he has an amazing business presence, (sorry I can't spell). I worked in a photography studio for about 4 years, and I always said stated items that I wanted to do, in a way that the client thought they wanted it. And 9 out of 10 times they chose my "design" over theirs. It is important to "voice" oppinons/objections/thoughts/ideas to customers because you are ultimatly the master of your field, your client is not.
I couldn't agree with you more, Kevin! Nothing wrong with doing what you do best.
James Roselle is a very talented sugar artist. He is also one nice guy who is very humble about his talent. James worked for Ron Ben-Israel before joining the Notter School hence the beautiful sugarflowers!
Spring
I think I've been misinterpreted here. I think that the spirit of this particular competition was to adjust your 'plan' on the fly and react to the surprise couple. WITH THAT IN MIND, I don't feel that James really followed the 'rules' (not official rules, because obviously he would've been disqualified.)
I agree that his cakes and flowers were amazing, and he is truly talented! Just not a good candidate for a 'surprise' theme challenge, since he has shown twice now that he will not really participate in the surprise element.
My comments were in no way to upset anyone, I understand what you are saying. However, I also think that he is very confident in what he does/thinks/makes because if he wasn't sure that they would like his plan, then he probably would not have made his design. I know if I went into a competition like that, I would have some ideas in my head as well, as I would have most likely practiced them.
I agree, it takes away from the "Surprise" element of the cake, Maybe someone should tell him, next time don't tell us that you already have an idea... surprise us... HEHE
All in good fun... The other decorators had ideas too, they just didn't come out and say -- hey I have had an idea already... (All decorators brought certain items (I loved the ring cake with the turning teirs -- she had to come up with that before she brought it - she just changed the colors, few elements and bam- a custom "surprise" cake)
Maybe our two time champ just needs to be told how to "talk to the camera's and audience" hehe
Have a good day All -- and thanks for letting this be a place where all can express their oppinions --
With out multiple oppinions, ideas the world would be boring!
Have fun!
I think I've been misinterpreted here. I think that the spirit of this particular competition was to adjust your 'plan' on the fly and react to the surprise couple. WITH THAT IN MIND, I don't feel that James really followed the 'rules' (not official rules, because obviously he would've been disqualified.)
I agree that his cakes and flowers were amazing, and he is truly talented! Just not a good candidate for a 'surprise' theme challenge, since he has shown twice now that he will not really participate in the surprise element.
I seriously doubt that any one of them followed the "rules" as you see them. Maybe some of them didn't say "this is what I was going to do all along" on camera but all of the cake shapes & sizes were set, the adornments were made, the only things up open for change were the colors and detail work.
As mentioned above, Marina had a very specific custom cake stand with her as well as a dozen fully dried gumpaste wedding rings and a battery powered spinning turntable... She knew exactly what she was going to make before she got on the plane... as did every one of the competitors before they ever met the couple.
I guess I am just having a hard time figuring out why James is getting ripped for doing the same thing all of his competitiors did. Maybe if Marina had won people would take exception to her design since it was pretty set in stone based on her support system and giant wedding rings.
I think it's just the fact that he had the same flowers on both shows and convinced them to change their minds because his cake didn't match any of the themes they had described and I believe that was the concept of the show. To kind of build the cake around the customer. As far as the whole having the ideas before hand i'm pretty sure they had an idea it was a wedding theme of some sort. I mean the cakes are already baked into the shapes they plan on using so maybe they have more time to prepare. Think about the amount of time they have to put everything together (4 hours) and how much we see (1 hour). I think we forget to add that to the puzzle. I know I just did. (my brain works a little slow sometimes).
I think it's just the fact that he had the same flowers on both shows and convinced them to change their minds because his cake didn't match any of the themes they had described and I believe that was the concept of the show. To kind of build the cake around the customer.
So what is more impressive? To make something that somebody asks for or to make something that is so overwhelmingly cool that you create the desire within them? The challenge is simple... the couple picks the winner. They picked what they liked.
Of course, If someone made 20 ribbon roses out of $100 bills and the couple chose that cake so they could have the $2000, I'd think it was genius... if it was within the rules.
As far as the whole having the ideas before hand i'm pretty sure they had an idea it was a wedding theme of some sort. I mean the cakes are already baked into the shapes they plan on using so maybe they have more time to prepare. Think about the amount of time they have to put everything together (4 hours) and how much we see (1 hour). I think we forget to add that to the puzzle. I know I just did. (my brain works a little slow sometimes).
I'm pretty sure that they all knew the entire situation (guy proposing to his girlfiend). The "surprise" element was the "who" and the "if", no Food Network promo or official web description ever said that the competitors didn't know what kind of event it was, only that they didn't know anything about the couple and it was in question if she would marry the dude. (whic makes it a lot easier to have your cake already designed) So.. is a large petal & a big round wavy top always appropriate for an engagement cake? Not if you don't know what you are going to do with them in advance. If the theme were "Charles Manson Cakes", everyone would have should up with completely different items & shapes because they would have planned different cakes. (well, except James )
It appears that we are going to have to take the "agree to disagree" route, but I'm cool with that if you are.
[quote]Of course, If someone made 20 ribbon roses out of $100 bills and the couple chose that cake so they could have the $2000, I'd think it was genius... if it was within the rules.
I agree, I would definitly want that!! [quote]It appears that we are going to have to take the "agree to disagree" route, but I'm cool with that if you are.
no argument here. It's ok to disagree. If we didn't the world would be so much more different and although there are a lot of wierd things going on I'm okay with that.
sorry for some reason I can't get the quote thing to work right today.
The couple chose it so they must have liked it.
We all have certain tastes in color and design. But, as for myself, sometimes I see something that is totally NOT me, if you get my drift....and guess what? I LOVE it!
Maybe that is what happened here.
He appears to be a really nice guy and well.....OBVIOUSLY he is talented. His flowers are INCREDIBLE!!
But, I liked the other guys' cake better! Yeah, I know, it was leaning, but, I loved the colors and the design. I really ALWAYS like their cakes.
Of course, the fact that ANY of them were invited to participate in the challenge speaks VOLUMES to me!
Beth in KY
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%