TYSONS GALLERIA PRESENTS LET THEM EAT CAKE: A HAUTE WEDDING CAKE COMPETITION BENEFITING LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER INTERNATIONAL –WASHINGTON, D.C. CHAPTER
Contest Features Outstanding Local Pastry Chefs, Celebrity Chef Judges and
Best of Spring 2012 and Bridal from Tysons Galleria Retailers
McLean, VA (February 27, 2012) – All things decadent and decorated combine for a frosted fête as Tysons Galleria presents Let Them Eat Cake: A haute wedding cake competition created by Les Dames D’Escoffier International-Washington, D.C. Chapter to benefit its scholarships, grants/mentoring and education programs. The two-day event, to be held March 24th and 25th at Tysons Galleria, celebrates the artistry of wedding cake design with a cake competition between some of the area’s foremost pastry chefs.
The cake competition is a two-fold event involving a popular vote by Tysons Galleria shoppers and a juried vote by a select panel of celebrity chef judges. This unique event showcases the talents of local pastry chefs as they each decorate a tiered wedding cake with inspiration from the Spring 2012 runways and collections from Tysons Galleria luxury retailers. Joining the competition will be the pastry chefs from the Ritz Carlton, The Swiss Bakery, Fancy Cakes by Leslie, Susan Cage Caterers and Terracacoa. Contestants and their teams will have between 10am and 5pm on Saturday the 24th to complete their frosted designs as Tysons Galleria shoppers and spectators watch. The celebrity judging panel will review the cakes between 5pm and 6pm. The finished cakes will be on display Saturday evening and Sunday for Tyson Galleria patrons to view and vote for their favorite design. Select Tysons Galleria retailers will team with the pastry chefs to create complementary tableaus that showcase the new spring fashions and tabletop designs and offer perfect settings for the wedding cakes.
The completed cakes and accompanying tablescapes will be unveiled during an invitation-only/$50 pp Cake Mixer reception event Saturday evening where guests can get a close up look at the cakes, meet the competing pastry chefs and celebrity judges and learn who created the Judges Grand Award winning cake design. The judging panel includes: Dame Carla Hall, Top Chef finalist, ABC’s “The Chew”, David Guas, Chef/owner Bayou Bakery, RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2004 and Food & Wine's nominee for The People’s Best New Chef; Dame Kate Jansen, Executive Pastry Chef/Owner Willow Restaurant, co-founder Firehook Bakery and RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2009; Heather Chittum Roth, L’Academie de Cuisine,Top Chef: Just Desserts, RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2008; and Roland Mesnier, White House Executive Pastry Chef for 26 years, author Dessert University (2004), All the Presidents Pastries (2007), Basic to Beautiful Cakes(2007), A Sweet World of White House Desserts (2011).
- Page 2 Tysons Galleria and LDEI-DC’s Let Them Eat Cake -
Spectators may cast their votes for their favorite cake between 10am and 9pm Saturday and 12noon and 4:30 pm on Sunday with the stub of a purchased raffle ticket, $5 each or 5 for $20.
Raffle ticket holders who vote for the winner of the popular vote also will be entered into drawings for spectacular prizes. Galleria patrons are invited to any of the Cakewalk Cafés to enjoy coffee and samples of the pastry chefs’ wedding cake offerings. The popular vote cake winner will be announced Sunday, March 25 at 5 p.m. All revenues from the reception, raffle and Cakewalk Cafés benefit Les Dames D’Escoffier International-Washington, DC Chapter grants/mentoring, scholarships and education outreach programs.
A weekend full of sweet temptations, tabletop creations and a worthy cause await at this premiere Tysons Galleria event.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, March 24
10am – 5pm, Sweet Victories Wedding Cake Decorating Competition among top regional pastry chefs.
Location Tysons Galleria Center Court
Participating Chefs: Daniel Mangione, Executive Pastry Chef, Ritz Carlton Hotel, DC; Marilyn Mueller Chef/owner terracacoa; Padua Player,Executive Pastry Chef, Susan Gage Caterers; Leslie Poyourow, Chef/Owner, Fancy Cakes by Leslie; Dame Laurie Ann Allman Weber, Chef/Owner, The Swiss Bakery
Participating Judges: Dame Carla Hall, Top Chef, ABC’s “The Chew”; Roland Mesnier, White House Executive Pastry Chef for 26 years, author Dessert University (2004), All the Presidents Pastries (2007), Basic to Beautiful Cakes(2007), A Sweet World of White House Desserts (2011);David Guas, Chef/owner Bayou Bakery, RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2004 and Food & Wine's nominee for The People’s Best New Chef; Dame Kate Jansen, , Executive Pastry Chef/Owner Willow Restaurant, co-founder Firehook Bakery and RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2009 and Heather Chittum Roth, L’Academie de Cuisine, Top Chef: Just Desserts, RAMMYs Pastry Chef of the Year 2008.
10am – 5 pm Cakewalk Cafés selling coffee, tea and samplings of the pastry chefs’ cakes.
10 am – 8 pm Raffle tickets are on sale
Galleria shoppers may vote for their favorite cake with the purchase of a raffle ticket
5pm – 6pm Competition Judging.
6pm – 8pm Cake Mixer VIP Reception to meet and mingle with celebrity judges and chefs. Unveiling of completed wedding cakes on tablescapes designed by select Tysons Galleria retailers. Judges’ winner announced.
5pm – 9pm, Completed Cakes and Tablescapes on display for popular vote.
Sunday, March 25
12 noon – 4:30 pm Completed Wedding Cakes and Tablescapes on display and for popular vote.
12 noon – 5 pm CakeWalk Cafes selling coffee, tea and samplings of the pastry chefs’ cakes.
12 noon – 4:15 pm Raffle tickets are on sale
5pm Popular Vote winner is announced and winners of raffle drawings are announced.
- Page 3 Tysons Galleria and LDEI-DC’s Let Them Eat Cake-
- Proceeds benefit Les Dames D’Escoffier International-Washington DC Chapter grants/mentoring, scholarships and education outreach.
- The popular vote cake winner will be announced Sunday, March 25 at 5 p.m. Raffle ticket holders who voted for the winner of the popular vote will be entered into a same-day prize drawing, featuring one grand prize winner and a second and third place winner.
Winners of Popular Vote Raffle Ticket Drawing Announced
All spectators who purchased a raffle ticket for the popular vote winning cake design will be submitted for a prize drawing featuring one grand prize winner and a second and third place winner.
Ticket holders do not need to be present to win.
For more information, please visit tysonsgalleria.com
Media inquiries should be directed to Aba Kwawu at The Aba Agency at aba@theabaagency.com or 202-625-8370.
About Tysons Galleria:
Tysons Galleria is a world-class destination for luxury shopping and dining. Located just minutes from Washington, DC in one of the most affluent markets in the country, the Galleria boasts an impressive collection of international luxury retailers including Anne Fontaine, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, David Yurman, DeBeers, Elie Tahari, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Max Mara, Montblanc, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tory Burch, Thomas Pink, Versace, Wolford and many more. The Galleria is anchored by Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macys and is also the center of a two million square foot mixed-use development including an exclusive 400-room Ritz Carlton and four class A office towers.
About Les Dames d’Escoffier International:
Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) is a service organization comprising women leaders in the food, beverage and hospitality industries and whose mission is education, advocacy and philanthropy. Membership is by invitation. The Washington DC Chapter, founded in 1981, is one of 28 throughout the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. LDEI has raised over $500,000 to provide grants and scholarships to women entering or re-entering the culinary and hospitality industries. The Chapter also offers public education programs throughout the year and its members mentor men and women though its community outreach programs.
###
Tags: