The ETSU Office of Professional Development is hosting baker Julie Voudrie to teach a six week long cake baking course in Hutcheson Hall.
The course began on Feb. 11 and will occur each week from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, ending on March 17. The cost is $249 for all six sessions.
Voudrie was a contestant on TLC’s “Next Great Baker” and has been baking for her entire life.
Voudrie hopes to shed some light on baking in a world where amateur chefs can Google everything that they need to know.
“I think what people might need is a little inspiration,” Voudrie said. “I think we’ve got lots of information. My job is to inspire you guys and to show you that this is not that hard to do.”
Voudrie’s “baking philosophy” echoes her sentiments in the classroom. She is a firm believer in using affordable, quality ingredients to create flavor in her baked goods.
“This class is ‘Let Them Eat Cake,’ and it’s really all about cake,” Voudrie said. “Cake to me has some special memories to it.”
Voudrie said that the beginning of her cake career was founded on dedication.
“I wasn’t afraid to try, and I think that’s the thing with baking: you can’t be too afraid to try,” Voudrie said. “I was very excited when they asked me to do the class on cake.”
The six-week course began with simple cakes made from scratch, and the students will continue to build upon their skills each week.
“We’re going to try to recreate, as best we can, the environment that I experienced when I was on ‘Next Great Baker,’” Voudrie said.
Voudrie hopes to make the experience as authentic as possible by finding judges and having the event filmed.
“I have a passion to empower people, and that’s why I’m here,” Voudrie said. “I’m here to empower you guys, that’s what I want to do, that’s the whole reason I’m doing this class. I want you to leave this class excited about baking. I want you to discover that wholesome joy of making delicious food.”
