A tribute to our friend, Chef Nicholas Lodge
We are so deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague Chef Nicholas Lodge, who passed away suddenly on 9th August 2022. A wonderfully warm hearted man with the most amazing talent both for making incredible sugar flowers and teaching his Flower Pro techniques. It's very difficult to put into words what Nick meant to us and so many people, we will miss him terribly.
Chef Nicholas was one of the world’s leading tutors in both sugar flower artistry and pastry. An accomplished author, teacher and TV judge, he had the honour of making cakes several times for the British Royal Family. He loved travelling all over the world sharing his skills and judging cake decorating and sugar art competitions at the highest level. As well as teaching at his own schools in Atlanta and Tokyo, Chef Nicholas was an instructor at the prestigious French Pastry School in Chicago and taught globally at culinary schools and cake exhibitions.
Many of you may have met Nick at cake shows over the years or been lucky enough to participate in his classes. We have such fond memories of Cake International where Nick would have a constant and captivated audience each day, sharing his incredible skills.
The International Sugar Art Collection is the Georgia-based school where Nick taught all levels and aspects of sugar art, cake decorating and cold porcelain. Founded in 1992 with his partner Scott, ISAC recently celebrated 30 years in business. This anniversary video is a wonderful celebration of Nick’s artistry and achievements, click here to watch.
Nick touched so many lives through his inspirational teaching and also his genuine interest and enthusiasm for everyone he met. He was passionate about sharing his skills and sincerely valued his flower making family. Nick himself put it best in the dedication in his book, Flower Pro Volume 3:
This Book is dedicated to you all, my Flower Pro family and community, for your love and support of Flower Pro and the Flower Pro Ultimate Members Club.
Huge thanks to Scott Ewing, my rock, for all your incredible help with the camera work for the Ultimate Members Club live broadcasts and videos, and the Hostess with the Mostest Noreen McKie for taking such good care of me during my trips to the UK as host, cook and driver – I do not know what we would do without you both!
Very special thanks and appreciation go to Susan Balfour and the incredible team at Katy Sue Designs for making my sometimes crazy ideas a reality, especially setting up the Flower Pro Ultimate Members Club at the start of a global pandemic!
And to my incredible Flower Pro design team, especially Ceri Griffiths for your support with samples and TV work for Create and Craft, and the rest of the team – Noreen McKie, Doreen Thompson, Veronica Seta, Chrissie Boon, Shaile Socher, Arati Mirji, Jak Heath, Dawn Butler, Greg Cleary, Margaret Ellis, Lareefa Ghazaly, Julie Askew, Karen Seal, Petya Shmarova and Sarah Thomas – for your support with samples and filming episodes for the Flower Pro Ultimate Members Club.
Thanks to chef Mark Balfour and Michael Balfour for all your help and the most delicious lunches, dinners and a few drinks too!
And in reflection of the COVID-19 global pandemic,
'Life is fragile like a sugar flower, beautiful to look at but broken in a second.'I hope I have brought many of you some distraction and joy during this very sad global situation we are all in! So my hope is you will enjoy Book 3 as much as Books 1 and 2, and I can't wait to see all of your creations!
Sweet wishes,
Chef Nicholas Lodge ♥
Nick's passing is an unfathomable loss to the cake industry and to his many many friends and family around the world.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Nick's family at this sad time 💚
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