JUDGES

THE JUDGES

Christina Bjorn
@notyournanasbakery

Christina Bjorn is a national award winning cake artist and cookbook author. She is the owner of Not Your Nana’s Bakery. Christina has traveled across the country to compete in cake competitions and has won several awards. Christina serves on the board of directors for the Ultimate Sugar Show and is a Sugar Coin Academy Ambassador. She has worked with a wide range of people from corporate events and celebrity clientele, however 85 to 90 percent of her business is wedding clients and it is what she is truly passionate about. She is the creator of the informational course The Business of Wedding Cakes, which highlights tips, tools and best practices for bakers in the wedding cake industry.

Cookbook Author – Not Your Nana’s Cookbook – published Nov 2020
Awards and Accolades
Ultimate Sugar Show Sculpted Cake Intermediate Division 2nd place 2018
America’s Best Baker Cupcake Competition 2019 National Champion
Ultimate Sugar Show Southern Bake Off 2019 – Five Medal Winner
Netflix Sugar Rush Baking Competition Winner
Food Network Canada The Big Bake Winner

Tasha Taylor
@sugarhigirl

Atlanta native, Tasha Taylor has always had an eye for the creative aspects in life. As a Mary Kay color consultant turned cake artist, she started attaching cake pops to business cards and telling people to have a snack or look like one!

The sweets lead the race and Sugarhi sweet eats began! 6 years in the game, she's made quite a name for herself in the industry locally, nationally and internationally competing in several competitions and TV shows such as Black Restaurant Weeks Nosh Culinary Showcase, Ultimate Sugar Show, Netflix Sugar Rush and Food Networks the Big Bake. She's also a wife and mom of 2, celebrity panelist, sweets industry judge and Food Network judge. She calls herself a "sugar superhero" making life sweeter one event at a time!

Marilyn Bawol
@marilynbawol

A natural-born artist, Marilyn thrives on combining her sculpture and painting skills with her baking talents to create an art form that others can enjoy as much as she can. She brings the latest cake artistry skills to Unique Cakes, and continues to study innovative cake design techniques under nationally-renowned cake masters. As the Owner and Creative Director of Unique Cakes, she focuses on the unusual in wedding cakes, three dimensional sculpted cakes and blown and pulled sugar amenities.

Marilyn has been featured in national cake decorating publications and has had the honor of applying her talents in sugar art and three-dimensional sculpted cakes for high profile cake commissions, where guests of honor have included circuit court judges and Gov. Sarah Palin.

Marilyn is also the inventor and creative designer behind Flexique®. Flexique® is a unique combination of edible ingredients, delicately balanced together to maximize pliability and durability. It can be used on its own to create a variety of cake decorations, or it can be applied to edible images to keep them from smudging or tearing. The uses for Flexique® are only limited by your imagination.

Maurice Shelton
@chefblaque

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Maurice Shelton, who would become commonly known as “Chef Blāque”, always had a passion for food and an eye for creativity. Hailing from a diverse background in retail, management and programming, Maurice began exploring his culinary passion in 2006, when he enrolled in Chicago’s Le Cordon Bleu School for Baking & Patisserie, building on the influences of his mom and grandmother.

In 2007, he decided to take his passion to the next level and started his bakery, Black Rose Pastries! A skilled baker and sugar artist, Chef Blāque, has traveled the world teaching and training, showcasing his award winning signature style - in over 42 states and 4 countries - blending realism and modern techniques to create show stopping masterpieces.

Since, Chef Blāque, has been featured in several publications and media outlets including American Cake Decorating Magazine, The Northwest Indiana Times, The Miami New Times, Something Sweet (UK Based Magazine), Modern Luxury Chicago, and WCIU The Jam just to name a few. Most recently, he and his partner were crowned Season 1 Champions for the Netflix Original Series: Sugar Rush with judges Candace Nelson, Adriano Zumbo, and Betsey Johnson.

Today, Chef Blāque continues to travel the world spreading his passion for sweet treats and confections. He hopes his son Pierre continues to express interest in the craft; and continue making “Simply Delicious Incredible Edibles!” TM.

THE JUDGES

Christina Bjorn
@notyournanasbakery

Tasha Taylor
@sugarhigirl

Atlanta native, Tasha Taylor has always had an eye for the creative aspects in life. As a Mary Kay color consultant turned cake artist, she started attaching cake pops to business cards and telling people to have a snack or look like one!

The sweets lead the race and Sugarhi sweet eats began! 6 years in the game, she's made quite a name for herself in the industry locally, nationally and internationally competing in several competitions and TV shows such as Black Restaurant Weeks Nosh Culinary Showcase, Ultimate Sugar Show, Netflix Sugar Rush and Food Networks the Big Bake. She's also a wife and mom of 2, celebrity panelist, sweets industry judge and food network judge. She calls herself a "sugar superhero" making life sweeter one event at a time!

Angelo Satterwhite Jr.
@angelobakes

As a native New Yorker Angelo Satterwhite Jr, found his love for desserts at a young age. At the age of 8 in the kitchen making cheesecakes was the spark that ignited the passion for the arts. Attending the Art institute of Atlanta in Georgia and fined tuned his skills to become a reputable pastry chef In the Atlanta metro area. After gradation Angelo continued perfecting his skills working at a 5 star hotel, to country clubs; to eventually creating his catering company Angelobakes.

Angelo continues to grow in his craft, from being featured in local & nationwide magazines, competition shows, baking classes. His sophisticated style in the industry has given him the ability to creatively flow freely in the kitchen. Many ask his favorite item to make; his response “storytelling” he loves to connect food with art, paint a story on a plate”. I’ll leave you with one of his favorite quotes "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
-Harriet Tubman. Never stop dreaming!

Zerrick Williams
@snackiecakez

Zerrick Williams has always loved being in the kitchen! At a young age , born in Atlanta, GA, Zerrick always use to help his grandmother bake all the family recipes! From there baking was just a hobby of his! In 2017, after just baking for fun, Zerrick turned his hobby to reality! Snackiecakez was born!

Fans of the Netflix series, Sugar Rush should recognize SnackieCakez and its owner Zerrick Williams! This young business owner participated in the competition show along with his friend, Keon of Cakes By Keon. The two were runners-up on the series but their performance left a lasting impression on us all!

Born from a hobby and named after a friendly joke, Atlanta based SnackieCakez baked here and there for friends and for his own enjoyment before a close friend encouraged him to turn his hobby into a business. The idea piqued his interest and Zerrick began working on a plan.

SnackieCakez gained popularity among the locals, but it was Zerrick’s appearance on the Netflix competition, “Sugar Rush” that caught our attention! If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it’s a three round competition where contestants use a surprise set of ingredients to create a delectable dessert. Zerrick represented well with multiple dishes and came in second place (although we wish they had won!).

In the meantime, fans can order while in Atlanta!