KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News)—Three highly talented bakers from the Katy area recently showcased their skills on Food Network's "Super Mega Cakes," bringing local recognition to the community's thriving cake artistry scene.
The participants were Sara Ono Jones of OnoJones Cakes, Dill Barlow of Alchemy Bakelab at 6845 Peek Road near Freeman Road in Katy, and Hemu Basu, owner and sole artist of Hemu's Sweet Sensation in Katy.
"I'm honored to know Sarah and Dill because they both are amazingly talented people," Basu said. "I am so fortunate that I know these guys. And our cake community is so strong here—no competition, no jealousy. It's all friendship and love at the heart."
Efforts to reach Ono Jones and Barlow were unsuccessful.
The winning team, led by Timbo Sullivan, included Ono Jones and Sarah Myers. Their victorious "Ocean Predators" themed cake showcased intricate details with a floating goblin shark battling a giant squid amid coral formations. Celebrity pastry chef Duff Goldman's team, including Basu, lost the "Super Mega Cakes" competition by a single vote.
Cory Osborne
The Super Mega Cakes winning entry was called "Architectural Wonders" by Team Timbo Sullivan which included Sarah Ono Jones and Sarah Myers.
Basu, a self-taught baker whose cakes have won awards and earned her appearances on Houston-area television shows, network TV, and various food publications, joined Goldman’s team for the competition.
Katy baker creates eight-foot predator-themed cake
Goldman’s team created an impressive eight-foot-high cake featuring a shark and an osprey feasting on an octopus. The theme of the cake was "predators," and Basu said her team worked for four days to complete its ambitious creation.
Hemu Basu
Hemu Basu poses with the "predator" cake she helped create.
Working alongside Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship competitor Joel Gonzalez, Basu helped design the gravity-defying cake, which was one of the challenge requirements. Duff created a Boston cream pie cake as a tribute to the location of the movie Jaws.
While the judges praised the dynamic movement between all the creatures, Team Duff fell eight points short of its competitors.
The octopus tentacles were decorative rather than edible, Basu said. "When you get something to make in that kind of bigger scale, we have to use elements where it's easier for us," she said.
Working on such a large-scale cake required structural support, which Goldman provided. "He's very talented," Basu said, praising his enthusiasm and excitement throughout their Zoom calls and planning sessions in Los Angeles.
From India to Scotland to Katy: Hemu Basu's baking journey
The show was recorded in Los Angeles, about 1,350 miles from Katy where Basu owns Hemu's Sweet Sensation. But her personal journey spans thousands of miles more.
Basu grew up in India, where she began baking as a teenager. "I have always loved baking since my childhood," she said.
While living in Scotland as an adult, her son asked if she could make a cake for a party. "I made the cake, and everyone at the party said this is amazing," Basu recalled, remembering how friends began requesting cakes for their special events.
In 2015, Basu's family moved to Katy, where her husband works in the oil and gas industry. She operates from home, specializing in novelty cakes while participating in cooking shows.