Cake stylist Deva Williamson’s team wins big on ‘Candyland’
It’s probably surprising to absolutely no one who knows her that the road that led to “Candyland” victory for St. Louis native Deva Williamson started with cake.
For the internationally renowned cake stylist, photographer and columnist, cake has become both a career and a creative outlet for her for the past seven years.
But the start of her relationship with the dessert — which eventually landed her top prize on the Food Network dessert-making competition — was unlikely, and inspirational.
“When I was in a homeless shelter, some people had come by with a cake and they gave it to me — and that made me feel really special,” Williamson said in an interview with The St. Louis American.
“And I was like, ‘well I want to give people cake, because I want to give people that special feeling.’”
When Williamson was 14, her mother was involved in a serious car accident that left her unable to care for the family. Williamson spent the next few years in children’s homes. When she aged out of the system, she didn’t have the support she needed. So she became homeless.
Sometimes she was fortunate to get into a shelter. When she was not so lucky, she ended up on the streets.
“I’m not sad or bitter,” Williamson said. “In some ways it has helped me drive into my art more and focus — and be grateful for what I do have and what I can give to people.”
These days, the married mother of three is one of the top cake photographers in the world.
She started decorating cakes on a dare. Williamson’s mother-in-law took a decorating class and it was not her jam. She told Williamson, “I’d like to see what you can do with this.”
“I took that challenge and ran with it. And now I do this,” Williamson said.
“It’s been pretty great to watch how I have been able to progress with my art over the years. And now I just really like to teach people through baking, because it is really relaxing, and it can bring out your strength and creativity in different ways. It starts with a cake, but it can turn into so many other things.”
Her decorating made space for her to evolve into a photographer, columnist for American Cake Decorating Magazine. Thanks to “Candyland” she can add reality television champion to her resume.
Hosted by Emmy and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth, the show paired two sugar artists and two cake artists on a team with the chance to share a $25,000 grand prize.
“The pressure was a lot — and way more than I expected,” Williamson said.
“I remember when I got there, and I realized how much the pressure was. I was like, ‘oh man, I came here to have fun.’”
Actually, she ended up having a blast.
“My teammates were perfectly fitted to help me deal with the pressure. And I was able to help them,” Williamson said. “Because I work by myself mostly and I work on a very long timeline compared to six hours in a Food Network kitchen. I didn’t think that I actually had the skill set to help somebody through a pressure cooker situation — and I did.”
She said her husband, Mims Williamson, encouraged her to participate in the show, though it was not normally something she would have considered.
“You go through being critiqued on national television,” Williamson said. “So it’s like having to deal with your feelings of failure in front of so many people. But this experience taught me a lesson about doing things you are afraid of — and coming out alive.”
She also learned a lesson about self-love.
“There were times when I didn’t feel like I had the skills that my team needed for us to succeed, but they let me know that what they needed was me,” Williamson said.
“It was really hard for me to understand that before, but I understood that when I was there.”
Because her business is designed for the sake of photography, she doesn’t sell her cakes. Once they are photographed, she donates them. And once upon a time, before the coronavirus pandemic, she would use them as a centerpiece for fellowship by inviting people over via Facebook for a cake party.
“They would come over and share stories and share cake,” Williamson said. “I’ve had people laugh at my table. I’ve had people cry at my table, because the bite of cake brought them back to something they had forgotten or something that was special to them.”
One guest was moved to tears by a lavender raspberry cake, which is Williamson’s personal favorite (along with passionfruit coconut and cookie butter). The cake reminded her of the woman’s grandmother’s backyard lavender garden.
The moment gave Williamson yet another beloved memory associated with cake — and the opportunity to share the same feeling that was given to her so many years before.
“I hope that through my work that people just see storytelling, art and giving back,” Williamson said. “Because that’s what I’m about.”
For more information about Deva Williamson, visit https://www.biglaughkitchen.com/