An impressive array of chefs — 12 savory and 12 pastry — will gather in Orlando at the Ritz-Carlton to honor their colleague, Jerome Girardot, pastry chef at the Ritz-Carton in Washington, D.C., who committed suicide in February.
“A Night of Extreme Tastes” will feature the talents of such notable cooks as Food Network’s Ace of Cakes star Geoff Manthorn, Food Network Challenge host Keegan Gerhard, Bravo’s Top Chef contestants Jeff McInnis (season 5) and Mike Voltaggio (season 6), Norman Van Aken, Melissa Kelly, and two-time world pastry champion and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin executive pastry chef Laurent Branlard. The Dec. 3 event is a benefit to raise funds for the education of Girardot’s children, Noah, 5, and Luke, 3.
The 24 chefs will cook at stations while guests wander and sample. Tickets are $95 per person and are available online at the Jerome Girardot Fund. The event is from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando.
Here’s a list of participating chefs:
Norman Van Aken, Chef/Owner
Norman’s Restaurants
Jeff McInnis, Chef de Cuisine/Top Chef New York
The Ritz Carlton South Beach
Mike Voltaggio, Chef de Cuisine/Top Chef Las Vegas
The Dining Room, Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa
Laurent Pillard, Corporate Chef
Sleek Corporation/Hubert Keller
Robert Ciborowski, Executive Chef
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
Garett Gooch, Chef de Cuisine
The Ritz Carlton Amelia Island
Joe Palma, Chef de Cuisine
West End Bistro by Eric Ripert
Melissa Kelly, Chef/Owner
Primo Restaurants
Philippe Ruiz, Chef de Cuisine
La Palme d’Or, Biltmore Hotel
Sean Woods, Executive Chef
The Ritz Carlton Orlando
Mark Beaupre, Executive Chef
J.W. Marriott Orlando
David Serus, Executive Chef
The Ritz Carlton Washington D.C.
Clay Conley, Chef de Cuisine
Azul Restaurant/Mandarin Oriental
Laurent Branlard, World Pastry Champion/Executive Pastry Chef
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
Geoff Manthorn, Executive Sous Chef/Co-star Ace of Cakes
Charm City Cakes
Keegan Gerhard, Pastry Chef/Host of Food Network Challenge
D Bar Desserts
Frederic Loraschi, Chocolatier/Owner
Chocolats Frederic Loraschi
Sebastien Thieffine, Executive Pastry Chef
The Ritz Carlton Naples Resorts
Ewald Notter, World Pastry Champion/Owner
Notter School Orlando
David Ramirez, Executive Pastry Chef
Rosen Shingle Creek Resort
Frederic Monti, Corporate Pastry Chef
Pregel America
Norman Love, Chocolatier/Owner
Norman Love Confections
Jerome Landrieu, Chocolate Academy Director
Chocolate Academy Cacao Barry
Stephane Cheramy, Executive Pastry Chef
J.W. Marriott & The Ritz Carlton Orlando
Dimitri Fayard, World Pastry Champion/Owner
Vanille Patisserie