The Art Institute of Tampa Culinary Arts Alumni 2009: Katie Machol

Employer: Creative Loafing, creative weekly newspaper
Career:  Food Writer for Creating Loafing

“Food is an art form.” — Katie Machol

What’s Katie doing today?
Katie is a food stylist and contributor for Creative Loafing’s food blog called The Daily Loaf.  She is busy concocting new recipes and alternatives to others. Creative Loafing entrusted Katie to launch their Green website where she went beyond recipe creativity and into writing articles on bio-dynamic wine making and local organic and sustainable foods. When she’s not writing, she’s busy cooking and styling food for on-air presentation for the Home Shopping Network, or for a mouth-watering picture for print and online. With a background in film and television, Katie wants to have her own cooking show where she can deliver her fun and original recipes with all foodies of the nation. She also hopes to assist other creative minds with recipe development.

Creative inspiration
Katie’s inspiration comes from making things her own by adding a new twist or taking a different approach. She says if she were to be a baked good, she’d be a Redhead: Her take on the cousin to the brownie and the blondie, only a little sweet, a bit nutty, and with a spicy kick at the end. Katie loves teaching others her perspectives on food, recipes and alternative methods to cooking meals.

Getting out there
Katie believes that the best way to succeed is to make sure your goal is in your heart. If it is, you won’t take any step towards your goal lightly. Every step is an opportunity to prove your worth.

Giovanna Smith:  2009 Baking & Pastry Graduate from The Art Institute of Tampa

Employer: Owner of Sugar Art Studio
Career:  Studio owner and utensil creation

“Create while in the moment with inspiration from within.” — Giovanna Smith

What’s Giovanna doing today?
Giovanna is the owner of Sugar Art Studio in Tampa, Florida. She is busy thinking how she can create new molds, cookie cutters, and other decorative utensils to make the most artistic and competitive cakes in the industry. As part of her business, Giovanna provides her original utensils to vendors for sale online. When she’s not developing new tools, she’s helping her clients turn their dream cakes into a reality. She is always careful to not include her own personality, or likes and dislikes into her clients’ cakes. Giovanna also gives cake-decorating classes to the public. She enjoys teaching how to create sugar flowers and sculptures, and how to work with chocolate, fondant, and gum paste. She recently helped to create a celebration cake for the 5,000th performance of Cirque du Soleil’s performance of Saltimbanco. One day, she hopes to become a chef instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tampa.

Creative inspiration
Giovanna’s creative inspiration began when she was a small girl watching her father work as a glass blower. The colors, the techniques, and the art melted together to give life to Giovanna’s passion for artistic cakes and the utensils that allow her to deliver on her baking and pastry visions.

Getting out there
Giovanna believes that consistency leads to miracles. One must not lose site of their goals. Give your best to everything you do. She also insists that one must determine their limits and what they can realistically give to the industry of choice. Cake decoration and creation requires a lot of time on your feet and detailed work; however the main ingredient is artistic ability.