From left to right: Andrew Shotts, Sally Camacho, Donald Wressell.
Andrew Garrison Shotts:He was recently awarded the Food Network’s Top Chocolatier in America. His current operation is based in Providence, Rhode Island where his team creates seasonal bonbon collections which changes every three months. Other notable awards he has accumulated: In 2000 and 2002, he was Pastry’s Art & Design’s “Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America”, and won silver in 2000 and 2001 at the National Pastry Team Championships in Beaver Creek.
Donald Wressell: He currently is the Corporate Pastry Chef for Guittard Chocolate. He has also worked as Assistant Pastry Chef for Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia and as the Executive Pastry Chef for Four Seasons Los Angeles. His accomplishments include being named Southern California’s Restaurant Writers Pastry Chef of the Year in 2003. In 1998 and 1999, he was named one of the “Ten Pastry Chefs in America” by Pastry Art & Design Magazine. Chef Donald has also represented the USA in several competitions including the World Cup of Pastry. In 1995 and 2005, Donald helped USA acquire a Bronze Medal. In 2001, he helped lead the team to Gold, the first time the Gold Medal was won by a USA team.
Sally Camacho: A graduate from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, she had previously worked under Chef Donald Wressell at the Four Seasons Los Angeles for five years where she learned everything from plated desserts to wedding cakes. She also assisted him in training for his many competitions. In 2005, she was Assistant Pastry Chef to Chef Frederic Robert at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. She then was Pastry Chef for the James Beard award winning restaurant Bradley Ogden in Caesar’s Palace. Her last position was Executive Pastry Chef at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort in Miami, Florida. She now is free-lance consulting and teaches classes on wedding and specialty cakes at the Ewald Notter School of Confectionery Arts in Orlando, Florida. In 2007, Chef Sally was a part of the Amoretti National Pastry Team.
Some of the recipes created in the kitchen included:
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Baja popcorn
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Candied Nuts
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Crispy Crunchies
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Marshmallows
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Salted Caramel (Molded Bonbon)
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Lime (Enrobed Bonbon)
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Habanero (Enrobed Bonbon)
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Creme Brulee (Enrobed Bonbon), etc.
Watch out for the next post with more photos and tips taught by Chef Andrew Shotts. In the meantime, here are a few photos of the finished products.
Enrobed pieces
Candied pistachios
Dark chocolate bark with candied pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds and ginger
