What aspiring baker hasn’t admired Martha Stewart’s meticulously crafted desserts and dishes—or dreamed of exploring her farm and studio spaces? Three ICE students recently had the pleasure to experience both when they were invited to join Martha in her kitchen for a special episode of Martha Bakes. Now in its sixth season, Martha Bakes is an Emmy®-nominated teaching show on PBS filmed on location at her farm in Bedford, NY.
Each episode of the show introduces viewers to a new baking tip or technique. "The sixth season of the show is particularly special to me, with talented culinary students joining me on each episode,” said Martha. "Every season is meant to inspire and educate, and the sixth season has even more of my favorite recipes and techniques.”
ICE students Gina Ansaldo, Amy Simidian and Denise Flores stepped on set to help Martha prepare various types of frangipane, a sweet nut cream found in many popular baked goods, to fill different recipes such as coffee cake, an apricot tart, a classic English bakewell tart and Bostock, a well-loved French pastry. But the real lessons came from beyond the kitchen.
Says Gina, “My experience with Martha was priceless. [She] taught us that hard work pays off and no goal is impossible to reach. She had an incredible farm, multiple chicken coops, several test kitchens for filming and an amazing team that works with her every day. Seeing that has taught me that if you push yourself and work for what you want, you can obtain your goals and aspirations. It was definitely a day I will never forget.”
Learn more about opportunities to work alongside culinary luminaries and network at ICE. Click here to get information about our School of Pastry & Baking Arts.