Today we’d like to introduce you to Emerlie Miller
Hi Emerlie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started decorating cakes in 2010, teaching myself everything I could before working at several bakeries, including the popular cupcake shop One Sweet Slice. When that bakery shut down, I made a completely impulsive decision to move to Canada, where I attended the world-renowned Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts in Toronto. In 2015, I earned my Confectionary Arts Diploma, giving me a formal education in cake design to complement my years of hands-on experience.
After coming back home, I launched my own custom cake business to what is now known as Neo Sugar Rush, focusing primarily on wedding cakes. I loved it, but when COVID long-haul issues made it impossible to keep up with the physical demands of large cakes, I had to pivot. That’s when I transitioned into content creation, becoming a traveling instructor, and competing professionally both locally and on Food Network. I was most recently a semi-finalist with my team Two Ghouls and a Butcher on season 14 of Food Network’s Halloween Wars All-Stars. Since 2019, I’ve been a pastry chef and sugar artist on 15 episodes of reality TV with a number of highly praised award-winning desserts. What surprises most people is that, despite my career in pastry, I have over 60 food allergies and intolerances, which means I often cannot eat what I create. I rely on my passion for the science of baking and taste testers to give me the feedback I need.
Over the years I have become passionate about learning all aspects of the sugar arts, and specialize in many things including wedding cakes, 3D and gravity-defying cakes, recipe development, isomalt (pulled and blown sugar work), chocolate sculpting, and sugar flowers.
But with so many constant shifts in my career, I’ve also had to battle burnout. As much as I love what I do, the demands of competition, content creation, and business ownership can be overwhelming. One of the ways I’ve reignited my passion is through a project I call edible photo shoots. I design and create fully edible props, then dress up and photograph myself with them, blending my love of sugar art with storytelling and self-expression. It’s become a creative outlet that helps me fall back in love with cake decorating and reminds me why I started in the first place. I’m also a people person, and I’ve always thrived on building community to make the stress of running a business less lonely – whether it’s through organizing events, hosting panels and competitions, or even just bringing cake artists together through local meetups.
No matter where my career takes me next, I’ll always be passionate about pushing the boundaries of edible art, sharing my knowledge with others, and building a community of artists who are just as obsessed with sugar as I am.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. My journey has been filled with challenges, many of them directly tied to my health. I have over 60 food allergies and intolerances, which means that despite being a pastry chef, I often can’t eat what I create. But beyond that, in 2021, I developed parosmia after getting COVID—a condition that distorted my sense of smell and taste so severely that almost all food tasted like rotting flesh and chemicals. The scent was so pungent and overwhelming that I physically couldn’t stomach most foods. I was forced to survive on a diet of bread, sugar, and cheese, which left me malnourished and weak. I lost 25 pounds, was unable to function some days, and even came close to dropping wedding cakes because I could barely keep my energy up. It was a terrifying time, and I had to completely pivot my business to survive. I moved away from wedding cakes and started focusing on content creation, teaching, and smaller projects, trying to find a way to hold onto my career while my body was failing me.
After a year and a half, I received a miracle cure—a procedure called Stellate Ganglion Block. It doesn’t work for everyone, but for me, it completely restored my sense of smell and taste overnight. Around that same time, I was also finally diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that affects my esophagus. This condition explained so many of my lifelong struggles with food—why I would choke on meals, why I had to be so careful about my diet, and why my body reacted so severely to certain foods.
Despite all of these challenges, I never let go of my passion for baking. In fact, these experiences made me more passionate than ever. I became obsessed with recipe development, the science of baking, and understanding food on a deeper level. Since I can’t rely on my own taste buds, I’ve had to trust the science and my taste testers to create incredible flavors and textures. During this time, I was also actively competing on Food Network, where I was often put in the position of pastry chef under extreme pressure. I had to learn how to bake from scratch through trial by fire, and it pushed me to become a stronger, more confident baker.
Now, I use that knowledge to teach others. I’ve written an eBook, developed recipes, and built a career around sharing my expertise. Despite all the obstacles, I’m so proud of what I’ve accomplished, and I wouldn’t trade the journey for anything.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in creating gravity-defying, dynamic cakes and edible art that push the boundaries of what’s possible with sugar, chocolate, and cake. While I’m best known for my work in competitive cake decorating—having won multiple international awards—I also create immersive edible photo shoots where I design and interact with intricate edible props. These pieces are a fusion of chocolate, isomalt, sugar work, and cake, designed not just to be visually stunning but fully functional.
For example, I’ve sculpted a teapot entirely out of chocolate that I can actually pick up and pour liquid from. I’ve also created a realistic, edible flashlight made of sculpted chocolate and isomalt, complete with a working light inside. These projects allow me to blend technical skill with storytelling, turning sugar into something unexpected, interactive, and alive.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the awards or the recognition—it’s the fact that, despite the setbacks I’ve faced, I’ve continued to grow and build a career that I love. I’ve dealt with serious health challenges and obstacles that could have ended my journey, but instead, I’ve pushed forward and achieved more than I ever imagined. By the age of 33, I’ve already become a multi-award-winning international Food Network Champion; ran the Social Media & TV Stage at the largest cake show in the US, SoFlo Cake and Candy Expo with live demos, stage competitions, and panels; traveled to many places to take workshops, teach classes, and collaborate with other creatives; been nominated for industry awards; and I know this is only the beginning of my journey.
Beyond my own work, I’m incredibly proud of the community I’ve built in this industry. I believe in collaboration over competition, and I’ve always worked to foster an environment where cake artists, pastry chefs, and creators can support and uplift each other. Instead of seeing others as rivals, I’ve helped create spaces where we share knowledge, celebrate each other’s wins, and grow together. That sense of camaraderie and mutual support is one of the things that sets me apart—I don’t just want to succeed, I want to see my entire industry thrive.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are so many ways people can support and connect with me! While I no longer take custom cake orders, I’m about to launch my online educational platform, Neo Sugar Academy, which is part of my larger brand, Neo Sugar Rush. This is where I’ll be sharing my expertise through courses, tutorials, and more, helping cake artists and bakers take their skills to the next level.
For those who want to follow my journey, I’m active on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where I share cake decorating tips, creative projects, and industry insights. I also bring people behind the scenes of my edible photo shoots, where I design fully edible props and bring them to life in dynamic ways. Beyond that, I document my travels to expos, competitions, and industry events, giving a full view of what it’s like to be part of the cake world. I also run a free Facebook group where I host live stream bake-alongs and connect with other cake enthusiasts.
Whether it’s joining Neo Sugar Academy, following along on social media, or simply engaging with my content, every bit of support means the world to me. My goal is to continue creating, teaching, and building a community of passionate cake artists, and I’d love for more people to be part of that journey!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neosugarrush.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emerlieannmiller
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sugarrushsquadcommunity
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@neosugarrush
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/neosugarrush
