8-1-09 Kid Chef Eliana with Pastry Chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre in New Orleans

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight, I watched the Ultimate Cake-Off on TLC. My friend, Pastry Chef Tariq Hanna of Sucre’ in New Orleans, competed against two other pastry chefs to be the winning cake at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Shark Summer celebration. Plus, there was a $10,000 prize! The pastry chefs had 9 hours to build a spectacular cake that had to wow the judges and the client, who was from the Aquarium of the Pacific.

I was so nervous watching the episode, especially when he lost the first skills challenge and had to sit out for 30 minutes. Then he lost the second skills challenge but he didn’t have to sit out, thank goodness!

Guess who won?! Chef Tariq made a splash with his five feet tall cake-eating shark cake. It was such a cool cake. It was covered in fondant (which is like edible play dough made of sugar) and airbrushed. It had blown sugar bubbles and little fish swimming around it. The main feature of the cake was a shark busting through, eating the cake. The one thing I missed seeing on this cake was his signature edible sparkles. Still, it was a kid-friendly, tasty cake made with Tahitian vanilla bean. Congratulations, Chef Tariq! You deserved to win!

Cool kids cook and watch The Ultimate Cake-Off!

Bon Appetit, Eliana