Cher Harris

Executive Pastry Chef
Hotel Hershey

As Executive Pastry Chef of The Hotel Hershey, Harris oversees everything sweet for all dining outlets at the Hotel. The Hotel has three a la carte operations, including The Circular Dining Room with a long history of Four-Star and Four-Diamond standards. The other Food & Beverage operations within the Hotel include The Cocoa Beanery Coffee House, Sweets Cupcake Shop, The Pool kitchen, The Spa luncheon, Room Service and Banquet Operations, including various weekend weddings. Overall Harris, with her skilled team strives to deliver high-quality sweets to guests while challenging new trends in pastry.

Harris thrives on the attention to detail and exactness needed for pastry. She is an active member in American Culinary Federation and serves on many local Occupational Advisory Boards in the area Vocational Programs. Harris has competed in multiple competitions earning bronze and gold medals and in 2014 was crowned Pastry Queen at the Ladies World Pastry Championship in Italy.

Joseph Settepani

Bruno Bakery
Passion and love for the pastry world to follow his father’s legacy, Joseph Settepani decided to pursue
career as a pastry chef. He graduated from the Culinary institute of America in 2012.

As part of his journey he interned for Chef Gary Rulli in San Francisco, CA at Emporio Rulli. In 2013 he
was selected to intern at the French Pastry School in Chicago as a Pastry Chef Assistant, where he had a
great opportunity to work with well renowned pastry chefs such as Chef Wybauw, Chef Caillot, Chef
Fayard, Chef Cannone MOF and Chef Pfeiffer.

In 2012 and 2013 participated in the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique 144th/145th Salon Culinaire first
prize for best chocolate showpiece in show.

In 2012 competed in the Food Network show “Sweet Genius” where he placed third.

Since finishing his internship at the French Pastry School he has been running Bruno Bakery, one of the
three family owned businesses.

Bill Foltz

Pastry Chef
L’Auberge Casino Resort

As Pastry Chef at the award-winning, luxury L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Bill Foltz is responsible for overseeing a team of bakers and pastry cooks providing unique desserts for all L’Auberge food outlets, including eight dynamic restaurants, room service, large conferences and high end guest functions. Foltz maintains an environment that creates excitement for guests and employees; trains and retains a highly skilled workforce; maintains budget and staffing for efficient bakery operations; and effectively implements changes to improve operations and ensure quality baked goods and new menu items. He assumed the position in June 2009.

Foltz brings more than twenty years of dynamic experience to L’Auberge. He specializes in fine dining, high volume banquets and exquisite chocolate and sugar showpieces with successful leadership positions at 4-star/4-diamond rated establishments.

Foltz comes to Lake Charles from Dunwoody, Georgia where he was the executive pastry chef for Alon’s Bakery & Market; a multi-outlet bakery and market. Previously, Foltz was Restaurant Manager and Executive Pastry Chef at Salara Dessert Lounge & Bistro in Charlotte, NC.; the historic 350-room Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, NY., where he oversaw a team of pastry cooks supplying seven food outlets and a convention facility; and Assistant Pastry Chef of Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in Pinehurst, NC and Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY.

Foltz graduated from the NationalCenter for Hospitality Studies at SullivanCollege in Louisville, Kentucky with an associate of science in baking and pastry arts; and from HockingCollege in Nelsonville, Ohio with an associate of applied business degree in culinary arts technology. His extensive training includes certifications from Ewald Notter, Laurent Branlard, Olivier Bajard, Stephane Treand and Sebastian Canonne.

Among his many accolades, in 2006, Foltz earned a gold medal at the U.S. Pastry Competition and was named U.S. Pastry Chef of the Year and has been invited to judge the U.S. Pastry Competition since 2007; received a bronze medal at the 2009 National Team Championships; had consistently earned medals and honors at the U.S. Pastry Competition including 3 silver medals; won a gold medal from the French Consulate in Paris for Best Pastillage showpiece; a gold medal at the Annual Salon of Culinary Arts; and his pastillage centerpieces were featured in the National Culinary Review.  In 2010, he was awarded the prestigious honor of “Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America” by Dessert Professional Magazine.  Most recently Foltz earned a spot on the 2011 US World Cup Pastry Team and competed for the coveted “Coupe de Monde de la Patisserie” in Lyon, France where he captured the prize of “Best Sugar” for the Team. In 2013, Foltz was awarded Best Sugar Showpiece, Competitor’s Choice and Best Artistry for his team’s work in Pastry Live’s National Showpiece Championship.

Cori Schlemmer

Pastry Sous Chef
L’Auberge Casino Resort

As Pastry Sous Chef at the award-winning, luxury L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Cori Schlemmer is responsible for overseeing a team of bakers and pastry cooks providing unique desserts for all L’Auberge food outlets, including eight dynamic restaurants, room service, large conferences and high end guest functions. She assumed the position in March 2013 at Pinnacle Entertainment’s premier hotel and casino resort located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. L’Auberge features a 26-story hotel complex with 1,000 rooms and suites, championship golf course, full service spa and an expansive casino.

Schlemmer brings more than thirteen years of kitchen and management experience to L’Auberge. She specializes in wedding cake and specialty cake design and construction. Additionally, she assists the Executive Pastry Chef with high end amenities and showpieces, working in both chocolate and sugar to create elaborate and tasty displays for guests at the award-winning resort.

Prior to joining L’Auberge, Chef Schlemmer Her extensive training includes the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where she medaled as a member of the resorts ACF Junior Competition Team. She held the position of Sous Chef at Greenhurst Country Club in Auburn, Indiana and was Pastry Chef at Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, Vermont before joining L’Auberge.

Schlemmer graduated on the Dean’s List from the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida with an associate of science in culinary arts and a second degree focused on international baking and pastry. She continued her studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California with classes focused on Artisan Breads and Advanced Wedding Cake Design.

In her free time, Chef Schlemmer is passionate about animal rescue. She also owns, breeds and shows Paint Horses and Quarter Horses.

About L’Auberge Lake Charles
L’Auberge Casino Resort is located on 242 acres of land in Lake Charles, La., two hours from the Houston metropolitan area. This premier facility is ideal for the business traveler or guest looking for the ultimate in hospitality and dining experiences, plus non-stop gaming action. The property includes a 26-story hotel complex with approximately 1,000 spacious rooms and suites; an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio; 26,000 gross square feet of meeting space, including a full-service business center and landscaped terrace space plus outdoor poolside lawn; two resort swimming pools, lazy river and private cabana courtyard; full-service barber shop, salon, spa and cardio fitness center; retail stores; ten innovative dining outlets; beachside bar, grill and marina; and top-name entertainment. The expansive 70,000 square foot casino features Vegas-like gaming action with 70 table games and approximately 1,600 slot machines, including a luxurious 7-table Poker Room, VIP Lounge and elegant High Limit Salon.

To learn more about L’Auberge, call reservations at 866-580-7444; visit www.mylauberge.com; find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/laubergedulac ; Instagram @laubergelakecharles; or follow us on Twitter: @LAubergeLC . A complete project fact sheet can be found at www.mylauberge.com.

Maura Metheny

Chef Chocolatier/Director of Innovation and Product Design
Norman Love Chocolates

Massachusetts native, Maura Metheny was formally trained in fine arts before turning to a career in pastry and chocolate. Upon earning her bachelor’s in fine arts in NY, Metheny then obtained an Associate of Science degree in pastry arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I.
After graduation, Metheny accepted a job in Lucerne, Switzerland, where she worked in pastry and chocolate. She returned to the United States when offered a job in fine dining at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. In 2001 Metheny accepted a position assisting Chef Norman Love while continuing to work full time at The Ritz. In 2003, she accepted a full-time position at Norman Love Confections as the Chocolate Production Manager for the Fort Myers-based confectioner, where she designed and oversaw the daily production of over 35,000 handmade pieces of ultra-premium confections, plus production of specialty lines for Love’s G Chocolates by Godiva and FM Artisan by Norman Love for Fannie May Confections.

In 2011, Metheny was promoted to Director of innovation and product design. In her new role, she is responsible for the development of new products and packaging design as well as the continued design and execution all chocolate lines produced at Norman Love Confections. Metheny, having traveled the world to numerous classes and competitions takes her inspiration from both industry and art.

In March 2013, she received a bronze medal in the 24th annual U.S. Pastry Competition for Pastry Chef of the Year sponsored by Paris Gourmet at the Javits Center in New York City. She previously competed in two Showpiece competitions and garnered silver medals in both appearances.

A consummate professional, Metheny strives each day to be better than the day before, and to assist Norman Love Confections in continually raising the bar within the industry.

Dan Forgey

Chef Chocolatier/Production manager
Norman Love Chocolates

Originally from Alaska, Dan began his culinary career at New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, Vermont graduating with an Associate of Science in culinary arts. After graduation he began working in upscale resorts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida. He accepted a position on a 30-foot commercial fishing boat for a three month season in Southeast Alaska. Upon finishing, he assisted with opening an 80-seat fine dining restaurant in Massachusetts where, after opening, he assumed the position of head chef.

Forgey then moved to Florida when he accepted the position of pastry chef at the Waldorf Astoria Naples (formerly Naples Grande). While training for his first Chocolate Showpiece competition, he was introduced to Chef Norman Love and accepted a position with the Fort Myers based chocolatier and pastry chef in 2007. Since starting at Norman Love Confections, Forgey has continued to compete in chocolate showpiece subsequently receiving three silver medals.

Dan worked in chocolate production where he was responsible for ganache fillings as well as the design and production of all of novelties, including the creation of the coveted S’More Love. In September 2011, Forgey was promoted to chocolate production manager. Today, he is responsible for running the chocolate production as well as designing new flavors of confections for NLC’s core and holiday lines. Forgey is also responsible for helping develop new novelties including the items available at the Boston Red Sox JetBlue Park located next to the Fort Myers Chocolate Salon and for the Fannie May’s ultra-premium line, FM Artisan by Norman Love.

Traveling all over the world touring chocolate factories and production facilities Forgey uses his broad culinary and pastry experience as well as the most cutting edge techniques to create chocolates and sculptures that constantly challenge the boundaries of the industry.