Bakers, pastry chefs and chocolatiers around the US are preparing for the third annual Pastry Live event, to be held in Atlanta this August.

The three-day event is home to several national competitions including the National Showpiece Championship, the Art of Cake, Chocolatier of the Year, Signature Plated Dessert Competition, and Student Chocolate Challenge.

After careful consideration, Pastry Live has already announced the team captains for the National Showpiece Championship. Eight teams of two chefs have been chosen to compete in the competition, which has a cash prize of $5000, with each team choosing from either chocolate or sugar to showcase their innovation and talent. Among some of the top pastry chef’s in the country have been selected for this year’s competition, including Bill Foltz from L’Auberge Casino Resort in Los Angeles, and Maura Metheny from Norman Love Chocolates in Florida.

The Pastry Live competition committee has also selected the 2013 Art of Cake competitors, who will be required to present a cake embodying this year’s theme of Art Nouveau. Finalists include Marilyn Bawol from Unique Cakes in Virginia and Gretchen George from Le Cordon Bleu in Georgia.

Event Producer Paul Bodrogi said Pastry Live is becoming a highly popular and influential event in the country’s baking calendar.

“Pastry Live is a new major pastry event, hosting competitions which don’t call for huge sacrifices from chefs and seminars that provide top level training,” Paul said.

Several seminars designed to help pastry chefs learn both basic and complex skills will also run throughout the event.

“Educational seminars with some of the world’s top pastry chefs will take place. Industry leading pastry artists will share invaluable techniques, while chefs contend in intense competitions. Past presenters include Jean-Marie Auboine, Susan Notter and Karen Portaleo, as well as Coupe du Monde competitors Andy Chlebana, Stephen Durfee and Jim Mullaney,” Paul said.

“Seminar attendees will get to experience incredible airbrushing, mouthwatering candies, ornate sugar-work, elaborate cake artistry and more.”

Backed by the motto of “By Chefs, For Chefs,” this grassroots event was created by industry chefs aiming to bring new ideas, techniques and designs to light and encourage the highest level of competition possible.