Lodge knew he wanted to become a chef (an uncommon career choice for a boy in England at the time), and asked to take home economics.

The headteacher was hesitant to grant permission, but his parents supported his choice and insisted he be allowed into the class.

The cake was finely detailed with swans, water lilies, and a miniature baby in royal swaddling clothes.

Lodge traveled to the United States in the 1980s to demonstrate at the International Cake Exploration Societé (ICES) convention.

[5] In 1992, Lodge and his business partner Scott Ewing opened their own school and retail gallery, the International Sugar Art Collection (ISAC) in Norcross, Georgia.

[3] Teaching kept him so busy that in 1993 he was unable to accept an invitation from the Clinton White House for a one-year presidential fellowship.

Beginning in 2003 the annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, has invited Lodge to be featured as a guest pastry chef.

This relationship has led to classes that Lodge teaches exclusively for Walt Disney World Resort pastry chefs.

[8] Lodge has taught classes at Le Cordon Bleu, Johnson & Wales, the Art Institute of Atlanta and the French Pastry School.

He initially taught the gum paste section of a 24-week program at the French Pastry School, and in 2010 he joined the teaching team as a chef instructor for the 16-week L'Art du Gateau program (aimed specifically at those wishing to pursue a career in cake decorating and sugar artistry).