Our Alumni
Once students graduate from a full-time program at The French Pastry School, they go on to do many different things. They take what they have learned and apply it to the industry using their talents, passion, and newfound knowledge. They work at renowned establishments or open their own businesses in Chicago and across the country.
December 14, 2011
(from FOX 8 New Orleans) L’Art de la Pâtisserie graduate, Nathan Winner’s, new business, NOLA Pie Guy, was featured on his local news channel
NOLA Pie Guy shares delicious treats. Watch the video.
December 14, 2011
(from ABC7's Hungry Hound) Le Flour latest bakery to offer gluten-free treats
For the last few years, bakeries offering gluten-free goods included Bleeding Heart Bakery in the city and Rose's Wheatfree in Evanston. Now, there's another option right across the street from the Edison Park train stop where fans of baked goods with or without gluten can enjoy the sweet holiday season.
How sweet is it to be next to the train station in Edison Park? If you rely on commuter business, then Le Flour Bake Shop is ground zero for lovers of all things butter, sugar and flour -- especially this time of year, in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.. Read more and watch the video.
December 14, 2011
(from Windy City Live) Chicago native and dessert diva Sarah Levy on WCL
Chicago native Sarah Levy developed a passion for all things sweet at an early age. Sarah started her company, Sarah's Pastries & Candies, in March 2004 by making chocolate candies out of her mom's kitchen. After a year she had built up a wholesale business that included Whole Foods Markets in the Midwest, and smaller gourmet grocery shops such as Olivia's Market, Southport Grocery and East Bank Club. Read more and watch the video.
November 9, 2011
(from The Washington Post) Wedding cake artist Maggie (Austin) LaBaugh still sweats every perfect detail
For 23 of her first 26 years, Maggie LaBaugh’s life had a singular
purpose: mastering her technique as a ballerina. Awards and accolades
came easily as she ascended the world of professional dance, but to her
they seemed superfluous. What drove LaBaugh into the studio every day
was the opportunity to have a shot at perfection. Each hour, each
fragment of choreography, was a chance to create something beautiful and
pristine. She labored relentlessly on tiny details, repeating a
movement over and over for days until it was exactly right. (read more)
November 3, 2011
Retail wrap-up: Village Pointe adds 2 stores
Village Pointe shopping center will have two new retailers in time for the holiday shopping season.
The Whistle Stop Country Store, a seasonal tenant through the holidays that offers a variety of gift and holiday décor items, opened Saturday. Chocolatier Blue, a specialty chocolate shop owned by a Nebraska native, will open this month. read more
October 5, 2011
TimeOut Chicago - 20 Chefs to Watch - includes Alumnus Maggie Laleman
We asked top Chicago toques to nominate the under-the-radar chefs
quietly cooking up a storm in kitchens all over town. (One restriction:
Chefs were not allowed to nominate employees of their own restaurants.)
You may not know their faces or names (yet), but these 20 up-and-comers
are anything but flashes in the pan.
September 22, 2011
(JS Online) Carol Deptolla's Top 30 restaurants
FPS Alumn Kurt Fogle mentioned: Sometimes, we want - we need - everything about dinner to be right: the service, definitely; the atmosphere, best when it supports the menu; and, of course, the food.
Above all, the food.
Every year, it's agonizing to decide which restaurants will make the list and which won't; many more restaurants than the 30 here had their share of shining moments when I dined at them.
But the Top 30 list is a snapshot of restaurants that performed the best when I visited them in the past year. All of these restaurants said something to me about the best of dining in Milwaukee today; to me, their menus and cooking were inspired. Read more
September 14, 2011
(Lake Norman News) Starting over in a half-baked economy
Making a Dream come true in chocolates, breads
Three years ago Eric Greenwell was flying on an airplane when his cell phone rang with news he'd lost his job. The victim of a corporate merger, the career newspaperman (a printing production manager) spent months staring into a jobless abyss.
His three-year road to reinvention led the Huntersville native, 50, to the Midwest and back, before he settled in downtown Mooresville in June, opening Black Velvet Patisserie. Read more
September 12, 2011
JULIUS MEINL NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF ROCHELLE DUBRIDGE
Julius Meinl North America is pleased to announce Rochelle DuBridge as our new Executive Pastry Chef. Upon completing the L’Art de la Patisserie program at the French Pastry School here in Chicago, Rochelle began her professional career as a Pastry Assistant at North Pond. With her “get it done” mentality, she successfully filled in for North Pond’s absent Pastry Chef for her first six months on the job. Her tenacity then led her to acclaimed Pastry Chef Mindy Segal’s team at Hot Chocolate. While there, Rochelle earned Chef Segal’s trust and respect, ultimately attaining the position of Pastry Sous Chef and managing the entire pastry team. This experience clearly prepared Rochelle for her next step as Pastry Chef at the renowned Vie Restaurant led by Chef Paul Virant. This Michelin Star-awarded restaurant garnered considerable exposure for Rochelle’s pastry work culminating in a nomination for StarChef’s Rising Star Pastry Chef Award (Chicago, 2011), the youngest nominee in the field. We are honored to have Chef Rochelle join our team at Meinl. read more
September 7, 2011
It’s Elemental: Dining at Chicago’s Elysian Hotel
Chef Danny Grant creates an award-winning experience at Chicago’s Elysian Hotel
trong ties with local farmers, an exceptional rapport with staff and a distinctive dynamic with guests are the key elements of the dining experience Chef Danny Grant creates at RIA and Balsan in Chicago’s Elysian Hotel.
Grant, who began his career cooking in professional kitchens throughout New York and Arizona, hit his stride in Chicago while working with award-winning chef Bruce Sherman at North Pond.
After serving as chef de cuisine at North Pond for five years and completing his studies in pastry at the French Pastry School, Grant took a hiatus to travel, work and hone his skills in Europe. Back in the United States, he served as a sous chef at NoMI before launching RIA, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, and Balsan, a modern bistro, at the Elysian Hotel in 2009.
Read more
August 5, 2011
One-Stop Sweet Shop
A new candy spot cranks up its in-house production
Amy's Candy Bar opened in late June, its walls stocked with multicolored treats from across the world: licorice from Holland, Finland, Sweden and Australia; chocolates from New York; gumballs from Canada. Read more here…
August 3, 2011
Pastry passion - an aha moment with Megan from Fort Wayne
Beijo de Chocolate Brings Home the Gold: Local Chocolatier Only One in Illinois to
Place in International Chocolate Competitions
CHICAGO, IL (August 2, 2011) – Beijo de Chocolat, a European style chocolate shop in Chicago’s North
Park neighborhood, was the only chocolatier in Illinois to place in the International Chocolate Salon’s
“Bridal Chocolate Salon” and “Midwest Chocolate Salon” competitions this month winning gold, silver and
bronze medals and beating out established shops Ghirardelli, William Dean and Moonstruck. Read the full article here.
July, 2011
Flora Confections: Sweet Talk of Food Politics
Alumna of L’Art de la Pâtisserie, Flora Lazar, shares thoughts with Edible Chicago on food, ingredients, pâte de fruits, and supporting local farming. Read the full article here.
July, 2011
Alumnus Patrick Fahy the New Pastry Chef at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
“Upon return to his hometown of Chicago, [Fahy] completed a six-month program with the French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College. ‘Being able to learn from the best was all anyone could ask for. They didn't just teach me about pastries but about life too,’ Chef Fahy explained when asked to expand on this experience. He humorously added, ‘my only complaint is that I didn't walk out learning how to speak French!’” Read the full article here.
July 29, 2011
AMERICAN BAKING PIONEERS COMPLETE TRAINING
Chicago, Illinois (July 29, 2011) – Aspiring bakers forge ahead, applying their skills to an increasingly diverse baking landscape in the U.S. and internationally. Twelve students from across the United States and Panama enrolled in L'Art de la Boulangerie, the Artisanal Bread Baking Course at The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College on May 31st. Read More...
July 22, 2011
A Celebration of Lowell's Culinary Delights, Pierogi, and Sweet Treats
Alumna, Jennifer Dean, joins Gayety’s Chocolates and Ice Cream. Read about Jennifer and other culinary news in this NWI Times article.
July 22, 2011
Tickle Your Tongue and Please Your Palate at Gelato Forte
Despite a challenging economy, Robin Williams (no relation to the actor) took a leap of faith when opting to launch Gelato Forte & Patisserie. Read more here…
July 19, 2011
Zarlengo's Italian Ice: Cooling Off Chicago Heights For 28 Years
See graduate of L’Art de la Pâtisserie, Tommy Zarlengo and his family’s business, Zarlengo’s Italian Ice featured on this WGN segment!
Click here to see all our Alumni News
Below are just a few of the establishments owned and operated by alumni.
UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIAChris Blue http://www.chocolatierblue.com GEORGIALayne Whitehead-Lee (404) 298-9100 114 North Avondale Road Ted Arpon Sugar Cakes Patisserie (770) 218-9994 101 North Park Square ILLINOISMichelle O'Malley (630) 983-3663 Amy Hansen Heidi Greco Gina Hartwig Thuy Nguyen Ba Le Bakery (773) 561-4424
Laura Case Michelle Garcia Brady Braden Rieko Wada (224) 653-2700 Schaumburg, IL 60173 Irina Fursman Darlena Morgan Sade Chavez
Karianne Soulsby Graciela Schargorodsky
Flora Lazar Cris Patalot, Elisabeth Michaelis 12337 S. State Route 59 Plainfield, IL 60585 Jen Stanley Chef/Owner Libertyville, IL Robin Williams Kate Sigel Chicago, IL Alexis Frankfort Leverenz Agnes Kurpacha La Blondina Bakery Peter Yuen Ladd Mengel Nicole Bujewski Le Flour (773) 631-1400 6701 N. Olmsted Ave. Chicago, IL 60631
Uzma Sharif Gina Hartwig Lovely: a bake shop Chicago, IL Jennifer Goff Melt (773) 793-7857 Maria Muniz Pastel! cakes and more 4814 S. Pulaski Rd. Chicago, IL 60632 (773) 523-5595 Penny Shack Mamata Reddy Pomegranate Sweets & Savories Chicago, IL (312) 497-8906 Elizabeth Madden
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Alison Bower Sarah Levy (312) 781-3004 Cindy Summers Cindy Michael Henning Cathay Li Rayhill Anne Palermo
Kathryn Krivy Josh Baudin Dana Kruger Chris Kadow-Dougherty Tommy Zarlengo Zarlengo's Italian Ice and Gelato INDIANACindy Hawkins Circle City Sweets 317.258.8646 Renee Wilson Dessert Menu * Coming Soon *
IOWAEric Bochner (319) 269-7900 1419 Waterfront Dr. Christopher Oetker (319) 929-7913 Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 Amy Moore (319) 341-5926 77 Olive Court Iowa City, IA 52246 LOUISIANANathan Winner
MICHIGANCourtney Clark Cake Nouveau (734) 994-4033 206 North Fourth Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Katy Loy Pastry Peddler Bakery & Cafe (734) 770-8366 619 Packard Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 thepastrypeddler.blogspot.com/ Heather Rousseau MINNESOTARachel Frederickson The Gelato Patrol, LLC Oakdale, MN
NEW JERSEY Tinka Labasse NEW YORK Michelle Sarivole (718) 683-4057 www.sarivole.com NORTH CAROLINAEric Greenwell
PENNSYLVANIA Dennis Darr (267) 613-8380
TENNESSEEChristian Parks & Laura Koerth (423) 202-5007 211 Chimney Top Ln. Jonesborough, TN 37659 www.earthandskyconfections.com Wendy Buckner
WASHINGTONHillary Lytle
WASHINGTON DCMaggie LaBaugh
WISCONSINBijan Jadali
Viviane Finck |
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PANAMA Nicole Cohen |
SWITZERLAND Gillian Buholzer |
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Professionals in the Industry
There are many career directions that our graduates have taken: working in restaurants, catering companies, hotels, bakeries, food styling, food writing, food sales, wedding and celebration cake boutiques, teaching, research and development, country clubs, resorts, cruise ships, new business ventures, chocolate candy businesses, among others. Many alumni have opened their own businesses in all of these areas, and continue to hire new graduates of The French Pastry School’s full-time programs.
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