| Sweet Success 2005 | Workshops | Chef Bios |
| September 02, 2010 12:54 PM | |||
Ron Ben-Israel
Read about Ron Ben-Israel's workshop Jean-François Bonnet
Read about Jean-François Bonnet's workshop Tina Casaceli
Read about Tina Casaceli's workshop Jürgen David
Read about Jürgen David's workshop Karen DeMasco
Read about Karen DeMasco's workshop Shelly Kaldunski
Read about Shelly Kaldunski's workshop Nicole Kaplan
Read about Nicole Kaplan's workshop
Read about Sam Mason's workshop Nathan Miller
Read about Nathan Miller's workshop Melissa Murphy
Read about Sweet Melissa's workshop Alison Nelson Read about Alison Nelson's workshop Kee Ling Tong
Read about Kee Ling Tong's workshop
Chef Hans Welker began his culinary education as an apprentice in Germany and received a Konditormeister (German equivalent to a Master's degree in Culinary Arts) in 1988. He has worked in many restaurants throughout Germany as a pastry chef and baker, including the German Navy. Chef Hans has special expertise in creating showpieces using chocolate, marzipan, and sugar techniques. Before joining The French Culinary Institute in 2002, he owned and operated Alpine Bakery & Café. Chef Hans currently heads the Art of International Bread program at The French Culinary Institute. |
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Ron Ben-Israel started his confectionery adventure towards the end of a successful 15-year career as a professional ballet/modern dancer, during which he performed with dance companies on three continents. Studies and work in Canada and France led him to establish his specialty cake business in New York City. Ron has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, In Style, Town & Country, and countless bridal magazines. His television credits include "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Good Morning America," and "Martha Stewart Living." He is also visiting master pastry chef-instructor at The French Culinary Institute specializing in wedding cake decorating and sugar flowers.
Living above a bakery-pâtisserie in the town of Frejus, the young Jean-François Bonnet was entranced by the aroma of baking breads and pastries. This early exposure evolved into a lifelong passion. He began formal training under Michelin two-star chef Philippe Da Silva at the Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort, then held positions in several renowned kitchens, including Hotel Le San Pedro (Saint Raphaël), La Villa Saint Elme (Sainte Maxime) and Jacques Chibois' La Bastide Saint-Antoine (Grasse). In 2000, he relocated to New York to work as pastry chef of the Monkey Bar. Since then, he worked as pastry chef at Cello and the Ritz-Carlton's Atelier, before accepting the executive pastry chef position at Daniel in October 2003. This November, Jean-François opens his own chocolate shop, Tumbador, in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
Chef Tina Casaceli grew up in Rochester, New York where she began her culinary experience in a family-owned establishment. After earning an Associates of Culinary Arts degree from The Culinary Institute of America, she worked as a pastry chef at various New York City restaurants, including Le Comptoir, Mad 61, and Burke & Burke. As an independent consultant, Chef Tina advised restaurants on how to develop pastry menus, update and change existing menus, and restructure pastry kitchens. She joined The French Culinary Institute in 1996 where she currently heads the Classic Pastry Arts program. In addition to teaching, Chef Tina owns her specialty pastry and cake business Pastries by Tina.
Chef Jürgen David started his career with a three-year apprenticeship as a confectioner and became certified by The Viennese Commission of Confectioners and by The Society of Viennese Hoteliers. He has worked in establishments throughout Austria, including Restaurant Himmel and the renown Hotel Sacher, as well as in Switzerland and Norway. Chef Jürgen joined The French Culinary Institute team directly from Europe in April of 1997 and is currently a senior pastry chef-instructor. 
Passionate for cooking and looking to change careers, Karen DeMasco earned her culinary degree in 1994 from the New York Restaurant School. Since then, she has worked in several top restaurant including Alison on Dominick, One If By Land, Two If By Sea, Chanterelle, and Gramercy Tavern. In 1997, Karen became the pastry chef at Fore Street Restaurant in Maine before moving back to New York in 1998 to become the pastry chef at Della Femina. In 2001, Karen became the opening pastry chef at Craft. Since then, Tom Colicchio has opened Craftbar and ‘wichcraft, where Karen is also in charge of the desserts. She has been featured in several publications including the New York Times, Chocolatier, Pastry Art & Design, and Time Out New York and was the only pastry chef to be included in Best Chefs 2003 in New York. Karen recently received the James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef Award for 2005. 
Shelly Kaldunski grew up on a family farm in Sebastopol, a small town in Northern California. She was encouraged to cook and experiment in the kitchen from a young age, so heading off to culinary school at age 20 seemed like a natural choice. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, she honed her baking skills at several of San Francisco's best restaurants including Charles Nob Hill, where as pastry chef she earned a four-star rating from the San Francisco Chronicle. From there, Shelly became the pastry chef at the Inn at Little Washington in Virginia before she relocated to New York to work for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Her most recent project with MSL was to write the upcoming Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, due out this November. Shelly currently develops food for the pages of Martha Stewart Living and serves as resident "master baker" in the test kitchen.
As a young child in Spring Valley, New York, Nicole Kaplan dreamed of a career as a professional flutist. She followed her passion and determination to New York City where she earned degrees in Music Performance from both the Mannes College of Music and Queens College. Nicole's musical engagements took her all over the globe, but it was at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and working as a pastry assistant at the Sign of the Dove where she discovered her innate love for pastry. Since then, she has worked at Osteria del Circo where she studied with such masters as Patrice Caillot (currently at Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo in Las Vegas) and Pascal Janvier (former pastry chef of Barry Callebaut). In 2000, Nicole joined Eleven Madison Park where she works closely with executive chef Kerry Heffernan to develop a refreshing dessert menu bridging traditional French cuisine with a brassy New York style.
Sam Mason was born in Jacksonville, Florida and trained at Johnson and Wales in Providence, Rhode Island. After graduation, he did a stage with pastry legend Pierre Hermé at Ladurée in Paris. On his return to the US, he worked at the Park Avenue Café and with the late Jean Louis Palladin at Napa in Las Vegas and Palladin in New York. Prior to the opening of wd~50, Sam was the pastry chef at Union Pacific and Atlas. His desserts combine many ingredients from the world of savory ingredients with some of the more traditional techniques and ingredients associated with confection, resulting in a completely unique style that revitalizes both the palate and the eye. Sam is also a guest pastry chef faculty member at The French Culinary Institute where his lessons focus on dessert plating techniques. Sam was recently named one of the 10 Best Pastry Chefs in 2005 by Pastry Art & Design.
Nathan Miller grew up in Marysville, Pennsylvania, where he relentlessly messed around in the kitchen concocting new recipes. Just after high school, Nathan received a scholarship to move to Germany to study the art of pastry. Upon his return, Nathan knew that he wanted to learn more so he headed back to Germany, moving on to the Alsace region, and then eventually to New York City for his next opportunity. It didn't take long for Manhattan's top restaurants to accept Nathan into their kitchens. In the four years that Nathan lived in New York, he worked at Danube, NL, Jean Georges, and Aureole. But the 90-hour work weeks and stresses of New York City urged Nathan to move once more and try something new. Boulder, Colorado seemed like a far stretch from Manhattan, but with its growing reputation as a culinary hot spot due in large part to restaurants such as The Kitchen, it's easy for him to feel right at home.
Executive chef and co-owner Melissa Murphy is a native New Yorker and a graduate of The French Culinary Institute, where she currently serves on the Advisory Board Committee. Melissa has worked in many fine restaurants throughout New York City and the Hamptons and has written articles for magazines such as Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, and Pastry Art & Design. Sweet Melissa P atisserie, which opened in Brooklyn in 1998, currently enjoys Zagat's 2005 Gourmet Marketplace Guide award for the city's Best Pies and Tarts. The bakery has recently expanded their wedding and specialty cake division with former Sweet Melissa pastry chef Andrea Lekberg. Andrea is a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago as well as the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Sweet Melissa Patisserie recently opened a second Brooklyn location in Carroll Gardens and their first Manhattan location in SoHo.
Native New Yorker Alison Nelson is the owner and founder of Chocolate Bar, New York City's candy store for grown-ups and co-author of Chocolate Bar: Recipes and Entertaining Ideas for Living the Sweet Life. Winner of the 2004 Time OutNew York Eat Award for Best Chocolate Store, 2005 Gourmand World Cookbook Award, and the 2004 New York Daily News Best Holiday Sampler Award, Chocolate Bar offers authentic New York egg creams, coffees by Equal Exchange & Gimme, teas by Serendipitea, six kinds of iced and hot chocolates, pastries by Billy's Bakery, chocolates by Jacques Torres Chocolates, SweetBliss, and Garrison Confections, along with a signature line of nostalgia-influenced chocolate bars. 
Prior to opening Kee's Chocolates in 2003, Kee Ling Tong worked in the corporate industry for more than 10 years. During her studies at The French Culinary Institute she interned at Palladin and later externed and worked at Ron Ben-Israel Cakes. She also worked briefly at Todd English's Olives. With no business or professional work experience in chocolate, her handmade creations inspired by Asian flavors have gone on to earn rave reviews from both the public and critics alike. Zagat's 2005 Gourmet Marketplace Guide has called Kee's chocolates the best in the city. She has been featured on "Lifetime Reel Women" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy."
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