Lyubov Katkalo and Ivan Fedayev, pastry decorators from Irkutsk, Russia, have secured first place at the “Become a Legend” world championship of confectionery and decorative art. This year’s competition saw over 800 participants from 37 countries vying for the top spot.

The “Become a Legend” championship, organized by Cake Artist World Corporation, aims to foster decorative art and showcase talented pastry chefs. The theme for this year was fairy tales, with entries judged by leading figures in the confectionery industry.

Katkalo, who previously worked as a speech therapist, discovered her passion for cake decorating while on maternity leave and now leads a department in a confectionery company. She emphasizes the self-taught nature of her team, noting that they have achieved remarkable success despite the lack of specialized training institutions in their area.

Katkalo’s winning creation in the “Tiered Cake” category featured the mythical birds Sirin, Gamayun, and Alkonost, inspired by the works of Viktor Vasnetsov and traditional Russian art. She aimed to capture the essence of Russian and Slavic art in her design.

The intricate cake took approximately 20 days to create, with six hours of work each day. Katkalo focused on incorporating detailed carvings, ornaments, and a specific color scheme to enhance the visual appeal.

The cake’s tiers were for display only, as the competition focused solely on external decoration. Katkalo uses only food-based materials like fondant, icing, edible moss, edible floristry, and chocolate to create her masterpieces.

Katkalo sees these championships as an opportunity to unleash her creativity and push the boundaries of cake decorating. She aims to continue participating in future competitions and showcase the talent of specialists from her city.