Sheila Luben was born, raised and educated in Los Angeles.  Although she was born in Los Angeles she was raised with strong southern traditions.  Both of her parents were from the south and migrated to Los Angeles in the early 50’s seeking a better life.  

Sheila’s mother (Chef Bryan’s grandmother) was a great cook as well as were her parents and all eight siblings.  It was very common to hear them discussing what they should cook for dinner while they were enjoying a delicious breakfast that had just been prepared.  The entire family loved to cook and feed people.  There was always plenty of food for the family and anyone who might happen to stop by.

Sheila developed a love for baking at an early age.  When she was only 10 years old she would always want to be in the kitchen with her grandmother when she came to visit.  She would ask “Big Momma”, how much flour do you add to the batter?  Or how much salt or baking powder, and the answer was usually something like “a little bit, a pinch or two handfuls”.  This was confusing and didn’t make sense so she knew she just had to watch and learn by observation.  

By the age of 12 Sheila had started her baking business with one loyal customer that would order a pound cake from her every week.  Baking cakes and cookies were her favorite pass time.  The love of baking soon expanded to cooking as well.  Hours upon hours were spent studying cookbooks and experimenting with recipes.  A recipe might look good but Sheila always puts her personal spin on it.  

Sheila became a Wilton Cake Decorating instructor after enrolling in a class to learn how to decorate the delicious cakes she would make for her children’s birthdays.  Her instructor saw her talent and encouraged her to also become an instructor.    Sheila taught over 3,000 students the art of cake decorating and was awarded The Wilton’s Method Teacher of the Year in 1997.

She enjoyed decorating and was good at it too.  When she would receive invitations to showers and birthday parties she would ask the host if they would like for her to make the cake.  This is how she starting building her customer base and soon thereafter established Sheila’s Cakeplace.