‘Queen of Cakes’ Sylvia Weinstock dead at 91
Celebrity wedding cake designer Sylvia Weinstock — who earned the nickname “Queen of Cakes” for her incredible edible artwork — has died. She was 91.
The Brooklyn-born baker — who’s manufactured nuptial confections for Oprah, Mariah Carey, Billy Joel and Sofía Vergara — handed away at her Tribeca residence Monday, her relatives introduced in a statement Wednesday with out elaborating on her result in of loss of life.
“Sylvia Weinstock, the cake designer who pioneered an field of towering, sugar-flower wedding ceremony cakes, died peacefully in her dwelling in Tribeca, surrounded by her loving spouse and children,” an obituary posted on her Instagram website page examine.
“The spouse and children will have a personal memorial at a foreseeable future date and question that any donations should really be directed to the Oncology Department of New York Presbyterian/Weill-Cornell Health care Center,” the assertion continued.
Weinstock — who created appearances on “Gossip Girl,” “Today,” “Top Chef” and “Nailed It” — was a previous Prolonged Island schoolteacher who only grew to become a full-time baker at age 50 after surviving breast most cancers.
She begun Sylvia Weinstock Cakes in Tribeca in 1980, the Tribeca Citizen documented.
Her ornate and extremely-lifelike edible art rapidly designed her a beloved culinary icon and an in-demand from customers superstar wedding day cake designer.
Bon Appétit journal as soon as explained Weinstock as “the Leonardo da Vinci of wedding ceremony cakes.”
The learn baker — regarded for her signature brief white hair and huge round eyeglasses — at some point closed her atelier bakery in 2016 to commit additional time with her ailing spouse, nevertheless, she came out of retirement this calendar year to design an elaborate 6-tiered floral-adorned generation for Invoice Gate’s daughter’s wedding ceremony, in accordance to Gates’ marriage planner Marcy Blum.
Jennifer Gates, who married Nayel Nassar in a lavish ceremony on Oct. 16, paid out tribute to the Queen of Cakes on Instagram on Wednesday.
“Getting to know this amazing woman, pioneer and baking legend was the major blessing,” the 25-yr-previous newlywed wrote.
“Sylvia, your zest for daily life, enthusiasm, creativeness, and generosity will in no way be forgotten. We will be endlessly grateful for the reward you gave us in planning our dream wedding cake with @ladureeus.”
“Rest In Peace.”
Quite a few other celebs and noteworthy figures also took to social media to mourn and honor the confectionary artist.
“So sorry the outstanding Sylvia Weinstock has passed. I loved her so!,” tweeted “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi along with a picture of herself reducing a cake at her 2004 marriage ceremony to ex-husband Salman Rushdie.
“She created that marriage ceremony cake and was a legend in the food items earth for her cakes,” Lakshmi later added.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson — of Crimson Rooster Harlem — praised Weinstock as an “inspiration.”
“So sad to hear about the passing of @SylviaWeinstock, the Queen of Cakes,” Samuelsson tweeted. “She introduced her culinary career at 50. What a lesson in subsequent your dreams… She’s an inspiration to all!”
Fashion designer Reem Acra also honored Weinstock saying on Instagram: “To my pricey pal Sylvia. I will skip you dearly. Your success tale is an inspiration to all girls.
“Your adore story with Ben is an inspiration to the world. God bless your soul. Reem.”
In the course of her remarkable profession, Weinstock stated she baked in excess of 1,000 cakes for every yr that expense involving $15 to $100 for every man or woman per slice, in accordance to the New York Instances.