Susan O’Boyle-Jacobson, CD

Chef Susan

Susan has had over thirty years of decorating experience, and has recently been designated a Certified Decorator (CD) having passed the eight hour practical test given by the Retail Bakery Association. Susan helped to develop the criteria for the testing along with Bernie Reynolds who was ay that time the Educational Director of the RBA.

As a custom decorator she was responsible for all specialty cakes from the Gallery of Cakes, a division of McGlynn bakeries where she was employed for over thirteen years. There were occasions that Susan made large displays for orders. The largest cake, in the shape of a riverboat, served 3,000 people. The most unusual cake was made for an elephant's birthday. Susan single handedly completed an average of 35 wedding cakes a weekend during the busy months.

She was the past owner of a specialty wedding cake shop, Cakes by Susan. Specializing in wedding cakes, Susan offered a wide verity of unique cakes.

During her career she has won countless awards in both commercial baking and local cake club competition, including Best of Show, and First Place for Pastry Display in the Midwest Chefs' Culinary Competition. After not entering shows for several years, she won the first place in the Twin Cites Chocolate Extravaganza, in November of 2004, and then won Gold at the ACF competition held in February of 2006 for her wedding cake.

She is well known for extensive traveling and training across the country, and has developed and taught classes for many years. In the early years the majority of her teaching was at "Merry Makings" a cake and candy supply store that held classes. She spent many years traveling for DecoPac, training the decorating staff to work with the decorating sets and tools.

Now, Susan has the "Sugar Artistry Studio" where she holds classes in-between traveling across the country. The new studio, completed in fall of 2005, is also the photography studio for Susan's articles in American Cake Decorating magazine.

She is a regular columnist for American Cake Decorating Magazine. Her column is "Basic Skills" where she takes you through pictured step-by-step instructions. Frequently, Susan will run articles on a variety of different cakes and sugar art mediums.

She is the past President of the International Cake Exploration Societé 1984-85 and 2000-2001; this organization has over four thousand members world wide. In 1998 Susan Co-Chaired the ICES convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. The event was held over a 6 day period, hosting over 1200 people.

She is a part time chef instructor for The Art Institutes International Minnesota, teaching 10 or 15 weeks of the year. She also is guest instructor at the Kitchen Window and Kitchen Party culinary schools. She takes great pride in the work of her students; most recently, her class of 8 Ai Minnesota students took home 4 gold and 4 silver medals from the Minnesota Baker's Convention held in February of 2006.

In fall of 2005, Susan spent 19 days in Russia. She worked in a large production bakery offering guidance in production and efficiency. The assignment was through a volunteer organization arranged by the government ACDI/VOCA. It was an experience of a lifetime and felt that she made a difference in how the bakery will continue. The best part was having the opportunity to make many special friends in that part of the world.

Susan now judges cake shows and competitions, including the RBA Creative Cake Competition and CD testing.