The Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (THTI) recently hosted its much-anticipated Cake Showdown 2023, a creative and challenging final assessment for its second-year students. According to THTI Chef Vernice Lovelace, the competition’s central goal was for students to design and create elaborate wedding cakes inspired by the theme, “Bliss of the Caribbean,” applying the knowledge gained throughout their academic year.
THTI student Natalia Mohammad shared her experience, finding inspiration in the theme’s meaning despite the inherent challenges of bringing her vision to life. “I wouldn’t say it was difficult but it had its challenges, but it was about working around the challenges to get the results that you want or that you envision. Not everything will go to plan; there are a lot of things that didn’t go to plan, but it’s about being persistent and knowing what you want and going after it,” she reflected.
Another talented student, Tamkia Alfonzo, showcased her skills in a separate segment of the competition by utilizing butter carving to create an intricate swan. Tamkia revealed plans to incorporate this fun new technique, learned at THTI, into her creations during the upcoming Christmas season. She candidly described the process: “It was difficult, yes and no. Sculpting butter seems easy, it is not as easy as it appears. Below the butter here, we have styrofoam carved particularly to get the shape, and though it appears beautiful, it takes a lot of time.”
The student creations were rigorously evaluated by external professional judges, ensuring an unbiased and real-world standard of assessment. The final results of the Cake Showdown 2023 will remain under wraps until students receive their comprehensive final grades, adding an element of suspense to this impressive display of culinary artistry.
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