AboutHeidi Cooney

CakeDesigner, Confectionary Stylist

   I am a Montreal-based cake designerand decorator with more than 10 years experience in my field. I received myBachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in painting and drawing in 1979 fromConcordia University. After graduating, I left the art world and worked as afashion coordinator and stylist for a number of years, which gave me a solidbackground in styling and propping for photography. While working on setsduring long catalogue shoots I began to cater for the crew - making elaborate dailylunch buffets for 15-20 people. My desserts were becoming notorious amongst thefashion/advertising cogenti. I continued catering small parties as the demand formy specialties began to grow, and tapped into my mother's established culinary skills,bringing her to work with me. We called our company Consuming Passion, and specializedin hors d'oeuvres and desserts.

   When I started my family, I left myjob as stylist/caterer and began to respond to the demand for children'sbirthday cakes in the community I had moved into. I registered the name CakeQueen, and my reputation and businessgrew quickly.  Soon I was cramming several cake orders a weekend whileraising my toddler. The desire to further my cake decorating skills drove me toreach out beyond the confines of my city, and I began studies at the InternationalSchool of Confectionery Arts as well as numerous tutorials with esteemed cakedecorators from the USA, Canada, and abroad. A colleague in New York introducedme to I.C.E.S. (International Cake Exploration Society). I joined, and attendedtheir yearly conventions where I consequently became deeply involved in cakedecorating.

            I am the founding past president ofa regional chapter for professional and semi-professional designers in my city.My cake designs have won awards for 4 years consecutively from the CanadianSociety of Sugar Artistry where I am also a member; and some of my designs havebeen featured on theknot.com - a high traffic wedding planning site, as well asbetterbaking.com - a popular online magazine for bakers who cook. I am also amember of IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). Inaddition to working with clients - creating specialty cakes for an upscaleclientele, I have been teaching cake design and decor for the last several yearsto groups as well as privately, and happily have seen my classes continue to expandas the interest grows with my reputation. I'm presently at work on a cake-decoratingbook. Check back with us soon to keep updated.

       Heidi Cooney