SUGAR AND SLATE

I remember being fascinated by decorated cakes ever since I was a child. My mom had a tattered copy of a Wilton Yearbook from the early 80’s that I though was just about the coolest thing ever when I was four years old, full of star-spangled cartoon character cakes and frilly little bride-and-groom figurines. Luckily, my tastes have drastically changed since I was a four-year-old. These days, I gravitate towards modern design and color combinations paired with classic romanticism. I spent my college years attending art school, during which I served a lot of time in the food service industry. I eventually realized I wanted to combine my artistic background with my culinary experience, and found a love for creating edible art.

Sugar and Slate started when my husband and I, both Atlanta natives, relocated back to the city after five years spent in coastal North Carolina, where I was curator of a small gallery and manager of a specialty cake bakery. I found a job in the pastry department of a respected restaurant, but missed the artistry and process of creating custom cakes and decided to branch out on my own. I took inspiration from the name of my paternal grandmother, Anne Slate. She secretly wrote a cooking and baking column in the local newspaper under a pseudonym and was my first baking instructor. Aside from her love of the kitchen, she was an avid fan of miniatures and spent years creating and decorating dollhouses. I believe I inherited both her love of culinary artistry and her eye for fine detail, as some of my favorite cakes are the ones I spent decorating with minute paintbrushes and tweezers.

I consider the production of desserts to be one of my favorite art forms. I think there’s something truly wonderful in spending hours, days – weeks, even – creating a piece of art that exists in its completed form for only a few hours, which is then deliberately deconstructed – persisting only in photographs and memories. As everyone deserves something special that reflects both their taste and personality, I love drawing inspiration from and collaborating with clients to create cakes that are as unique as the individuals and events that occasion them.