Day Nine at Johnson and Wales University

Culinary students submit their creations.

The tools needed to make a breathtaking cake just might surprise you. Culinary students at Johnson and Wales University spend eight days in a concentrated class, then present their creations on the next, which is known as Day Nine. Students in chef David Ricci’s “Tiered and Themed Cakes” lab divided into seven teams of two to create cakes based on popular children’s books. Inspired by the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Little Red Riding Hood and Harry Potter, they learned how to frame and finish the cakes, using piping, gum paste and rolled fondant. On Day Nine, one student painted golden dust on a creation, while another steamed her cake to make it shiny. “It’s just the finishing touch.”