Sweet Design Academy is led by Karla Harkat, pastry chef and certified instructor trained in London, in cake design (Knightsbridge PME School of Cake Decorating) and in business strategy (London Business School).

This triple expertise shapes her approach:
combining technical mastery, refined taste, and the ability to build a structured, profitable business.

The academy was built on a clear vision: true high-end is not about accumulation, but about mastery.

In a market saturated with fast-track trainings, short-lived trends, and cakes designed only to be photographed, Sweet Design Academy stands for a different approach — one rooted in precision and control.

Here, a cake is not considered a decorative object.
It is a complete product, designed in every detail: structure, taste, finish, coherence, and overall experience.

A Structured Path

Before entering the pastry world, Karla worked in demanding corporate environments where rigour, organisation, and performance were essential.

She carries these standards into her work today.

Her entry into cake design began with a personal turning point after the birth of her baby boy.
Soon after, practice became structured, then intentional.

"I never aimed to do what everyone else was doing.
I focused on understanding what truly creates value."

Approach

Her work is built on three core pillars:

Structure
Stable, precise cakes designed to hold without compromise.

Taste
Fine French pastry with carefully developed textures and flavour pairings.

Method
A clear organization, a precise production logic, and a strong understanding of a product’s real value.

Each creation is conceived as a complete product — technical, aesthetic, and gustatory.

Training & Method

In 2017, Karla obtained her certification as an instructor from the largest cake design school in London.

Sweet Design Academy was created from a simple observation:

Knowing how to make a cake is not enough.
You must be able to produce it reliably, position it correctly, and create a coherent experience around it.

"I don’t teach how to replicate cakes.
I teach how to understand what you do — and build a signature."

The programs are designed for ambitious individuals who want to develop real expertise, refine their positioning, and learn how to create products with meaning, value, and a strong identity.

High-end is not a matter of price.
It is a matter of precision, rarity, coherence, and mastery.

Karla Harkat
Pastry Chef — Certified Instructor — Business Mentor