I don’t mind working on weekends specially when work means crashing a class at Gourdo’s Alabang Town Center. Since it was a Sunday, the roads were pretty clear so the drive from Quezon City was a breeze.
It was my first time at the branch, the selling area is smaller than the outlets I frequent (The Fort Strip and Trinoma) but it had an enclosed section for classes (like the Megamall branch).
Day 2 of Course 1 of the Wilton Cake Decorating workshop had just started when I arrived and certified Wilton method instructor chef Peachy Juban was in the middle of a lecture-demonstration on piping when I walked in.
Peachy Juban is an award-winning chef who has tons of knowledge to share. She always supports her technical instructions with loads of examples from her extensive experience. There’s never a dull moment when she is at the helm of a class.
There was a minor interruption as chef Peachy Juban gave a little happy squeal upon seeing me and there were beso-besos all around as I greeted her, Joy Felizardo of www.gastronomybyjoy.com, Marga Plana of www.watchappetite.ph, and Cat Altomonte of www.yummy.ph. Meanwhile, the rest of the class was like “sino ‘yan?!?“.
Chef Peachy demonstrates petal piping techniques.
I have been doing PR for Gourdo’s on and off for almost 10 years. They ask me to invite members of the media when they have products to launch, brand principals flying in, or activities to promote such as workshops in their Alabang branch which they have regularly.
I didn’t really have to be there, class coordinator Cha Calma was on top of taking care of the media guests but I wanted to see for myself how they were doing. At syempre, gusto ko rin maki-chicka.
Chef Peachy ran two courses that weekend, eight hours each, divided into 4-hour sessions per day. So those who signed up for both courses spent 16 hours of their Saturday and Sunday at Gourdo’s. Sulit naman daw! I saw how all the students enjoyed and learned so much. My media guests couldn’t stop raving about the experience.
The students at work.
Chef Peachy gives Joy more tips.
Marga is not breathing and neither was I — and I was only watching! Hah!
Cat flashes a victorious smile after successfully placing roses on her cake.
Wilton Course 1 (P8,500) is all about buttercream — icing and decorating a cake and other sweet treats. It starts with lessons on making icing in the right consistency for decorating then goes on to cover filling and using a decorating bag, piping lines and making simple borders, letters and shapes on your cake; making six different buttercream icing flowers, and transferring the images to a cake to decorate.
Aren’t they pretty?
Icing roses
Adding leaves to the cake.
Wilton Course 2 (P9,000) gives you the opportunity to work with royal icing, the ideal medium to use when creating flowers and decorations in advance. It teaches core techniques in making a wide variety of flowers such as pansies, lilies, and The Wilton Rose. You’ll also learn how to design a professional-looking cake, from selecting the colors to arranging your flowers.
Chef Peachy shows the class how to create the embroidered look.
The fees are inclusive of the basic tools to get you started. The Wilton student kit for course 1 had 12 pieces of assorted basic piping tips and bags, a Wilton booklet, boards that served as technique guides, an offset metal spatula, and a flower nail. All the items in the kit and other Wilton products are available at all Gourdo’s branches.
The next Wilton Workhop at Gourdo’s Alabang Town Center is scheduled for May 6 and 7. To be offered are Courses 1 and 3. Wilton Course 3 (P10,500) revolves around gum paste and fondant. Your Certified Wilton Method Instructor (chef Peachy) will help you each step of the way as you learn to prepare and color gum paste and fondant, cover a cake with fondant, create different types of bows and flowers, paint on fondant and design and complete a cake with the shapes and flowers from the course. Similar to other Wilton courses, you get to bring home everything you made! Yay!
Also lined up are lessons on making French macarons, edible paper flowers, and art maki sushi. And because Gourdo’s is not only about food and dining, a calligraphy workshop is also in the pipeline.
For details, call the Gourdo’s 24-hour hotline at (02) 8123022 or log on to www.gourdos.com.
Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1 Class Picture
Photo stolen from the Instagram account of chef Peachy Juban.
Lunch break at Pancake House.
