WEST SPRINGFIELD — A day at the Eastern States Exposition on Friday was especially sweet for Allison Henry, chef and owner of The Sugar Chalet, a Wilbraham bakery.
Henry took home first place in the fair’s cake decorating competition, judged by Emmy-winning celebrity chef Sandra Lee.
“I know we were closed today… but I did something super awesome!” Henry wrote in a post on Facebook announcing the bakery’s win. “Cake decorating competition for none other than the @sandraleeonline and brought home my #first#blueribbon and FIRST PLACE!”
In an email to The Republican, Henry called the competition “nerve-wracking.”
“Once I got more into it, I knew that I was confident in my skills and was really able to put my best foot forward,” she said. “It was such an amazing opportunity to meet Sandra Lee and really hear more about her story and how she got started.”
Henry said that, now that she’s gotten a taste for the competitive spirit, “I will hopefully be on Food Network one day too.”
The Sugar Chalet first officially opened in Wilbraham in 2022. At the time, Henry was renting kitchen space from local business Sugar D.L.’s Baked Goods, according to a story in The Reminder. The bakery moved to its permanent home which first at 1 Crane Park Drive in 2024.
The Sugar Chalet specializes in homemade bagels, pastries and cakes. The bakery is open Wednesday through Monday, from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and custom cake orders can be made online.