Johnston County caterer makes finals of ‘Cake Wars’

Joyce Jenkins of The Serving Spoon in Pine Level appeared as assistant to her daughter, Smithfield native Charlise Johnson, on Food Network’s “Cake Wars,” making it to the final round of the competition.

The “Cake Wars” episode featuring the Johnston County team had a Garfield theme and followed four bakers as they competed in elimination-style rounds. Each baker was vying for a chance to win $10,000. The Johnston County duo beat out two other baking teams before being eliminated in the final round of competition.

Jenkins has been a caterer in Johnston County for 13 years. The Serving Spoon is a full-service company that caters both large and small events. Along with food and beverages, The Serving Spoon also sets up and decorates food stations to compliment event decor.

After graduating from Smithfield-Selma High School in 1998, Johnson went on to study computer science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Making her home in the Atlanta area, Johnson, who is self-taught, launched her bakery business in 2013.

Since that time, Johnson has created custom cakes and baked goods for many customers in the Atlanta area. Her gallery of work can be found at https://www.instagram.com/intimateeats/.

Both Jenkins and Johnson were excited about their accomplishments on the show and think they made Johnston County proud. “We’ve received overwhelming support from family, friends and customers since being on the show,” Jenkins said. “Our social media accounts are filled with praise and congratulations from everyone.”

To see their episode, tune into Food Network at 8 p.m. Sept. 10.

This story was originally published September 6, 2016 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Johnston County caterer makes finals of ‘Cake Wars’."