Geoffrey Blount, CEPC, ACE
Geoffrey Blount, CEPC, ACE
Head Chef Instructor
Baking & Pastry Arts Program
Central Piedmont Community
College, Harris Campus
He graduated from CPCC in 1995 after earning an AAS degree in Culinary Arts. Chef Blount also attended the French Pastry School in Chicago. A member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and the 2011 Charlotte Pastry Chef of the Year and Educator of the Year, Geoff has earned numerous awards including Best Pastry Shop-2005 & 2006, Top Ten Charlotte Chefs-2004 and his dessert creations were featured at both the 2004 and 2005 James Beard Dinners. Recently, Chef Blount competed as part of Team USA at the Gelato World Cup in Italy, where the team won the coveted “Best Taste” award.
Between 1992 and 2012, Chef Blount has won over 39 ACF medals for the Hot Food, Bread, Chocolate, Pastry and Cold-Food categories in competitions throughout the US. He currently serves on the National Pastry Committee and is an ACF Certified Judge. His professional career includes stints as Pastry Chef, Executive Chef and Owner in top hotels, shops and clubs throughout the southeastern United States. Chef Blount is also the owner of the Sugar Buzz INC. and began teaching at CPCC in 2007.
Nancy Carey C.M.B.
After graduating with a BFA in Painting and Drawing from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago Nancy went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park to study pastry. Nancy began her career with a strong artisan bread focus, working in bread production and subsequently in 1997 returned back to Chicago and founded Red Hen Bread. After several years of directing Red Hen Bread, Nancy transitioned into research and development for Red Hen Bread to concurrently pursue a career in education. She spent the next eight years teaching baking and pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago. Nancy is currently teaching baking and pastry at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. In 2011 she participated in the Pastry Live National Showpiece Championship with Andy Chlebana and won Best Overall Showpiece and Best Chocolate Showpiece.
Melissa Coppel
“Chocolatier of the Year 2013” Chef Melissa left her home country of Colombia to study pastry at The French Pastry school in Chicago. Soon after, she moved to Las Vegas to work at Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, a three Michelin star Restaurant where she run the pastry kitchen of L’atelier de Joel Robuchon.
Realizing that her true passion was chocolate she moved to Caesar’s Palace Casino were she was in charge of all of the chocolate production for the Casino. When the opportunity arose to work with Chef Jean-Marie Auboine she decided to go to the Bellagio. After working together and realizing the potential of their collaboration Chef Melissa and Chef Jean-Marie decided to branch out on their own and co-founded Jean-Marie Auboine Chocolates in Las Vegas. Chef Melissa won People’s choice award and placed second overall on the Chocolatier of the year 2012 competition in Atlanta. And in 2013 She won both titles: “Chocolatier of the Year 2013” as well as the “People Choice Awards”.
Joseph Cumm
Chef Joseph Cumm is currently a Pastry Arts Instructor at the Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts. Along with his wife, he also owns EdenJoes Cakery. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Johnson and Wales University where he was trained as a classical pastry chef. In 2010, he was nominated for Teacher of the Year for Two-Year colleges in the state of Virginia. He has been decorating cakes for 15 years and continues to push himself in the art of sugar. Chef Joe takes great pride in teaching all aspects of pastry and enjoys watching his students push themselves to levels they never knew existed. His cakes and desserts have appeared in magazines with the most recent being his victory at Pastry Lives Art of the Cake 2013. Chef Joe was one of 10 Pastry Chefs that competed for US Pastry Chef of the Year in NYC March 2nd 2014. He competes regularly in national competitions where he also teaches what he has learned from schooling, fellow colleagues, and life.
Heather Hurlbert
In 2012, Heather Hurlbert, Pastry Chef and “Cheftestant” on Bravo’s hottest new series, Top Chef: Just Desserts, launched HHDesserts, her new line of pastries ranging from couture wedding cakes, chocolates, and entremets. This award winning chef was most recently the Executive Pastry Chef at Cherokee Town and Country Club, ranked the #1 Platinum Country Club in the U.S. During Heather’s pastry career, she won the 2009 National Pastry Chef of the Year from the American Culinary Federation and in 2004 taking the gold medal at the IKA Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany. Continue reading
Daniel Keadle
Chef Daniel’s love of the industry arrived early, having his own omelet pan as a young boy. An early specialist in breakfast preparations, his formal professional training came at age 29. A career change became evident as he fell in love with all things baked and pastry. He graduated with honors from the Cordon Bleu in Portland, Oregon and has been a resort Pastry Chef for the last 20 years.
Having opened numerous properties in the USA and Caribbean, Daniel has always maintained his skills current and relevant. Whether it’s cooking for customers or judges, gaining valuable knowledge through competitions and continuing education, keeps him focused and driven.
Understanding the foundations of molecular to primitive cuisines, in addition to competing on a regular basis, has improved the quality and production of his work.
Chef’s career has helped to inspire and educate his cooks and assistants. Always focusing on continued engagement in the field, he has re-enforced training, learning and camaraderie. Setting the example for others is an invaluable commitment.
Being placed in the position to prepare delights for countless customers and celebrities, his skills have earned him many appearances in magazines, newspapers, and
television across the nation and abroad. Daniel’s work can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/pastry_chef_danny
Maura Metheny
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.
James Mullaney CEPC
Pastry Chef James Mullaney lives the sweet life. His prolific talents bring beauty, whimsy and sublime indulgence to the tables of the finest establishments in Georgia.
Mullaney takes the artistic aspects of pastry to fresh heights through his award-winning showpieces. In 2005, he and his team took top honors at the National Pastry Team Championship held in Phoenix, AZ and has claimed more than 30 other medals in pastry and ice carving competitions over the course of his career. Mullaney was selected to represent the United States in 2006 and 2009 in World Pastry Championships, here in the U.S. and France.
Mullaney, originally from Pittsburgh, commenced his culinary career in the U.S. Army as a food service specialist, training at Fort Jackson,SC. He later graduated from an accredited Pastry Apprenticeship Program at The Cloister on Sea Island. He then expanded these skills further at chocolate schools in the pastry meccas of Belgium, France and Spain. Additional training at the Notter School of Confectionary Arts led to a full time position as lead instructor of baking and pastry.
Mullaney worked for the Sea Island Company / Mobile Five-Star Cloister Hotel for a total of 18 years, 9 as Executive Pastry Chef. He served as Pastry Chef of the Mobile Four-Star Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, AZ and as Pastry Chef of the Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, FL. Recently, he worked with Atlanta Foods International and QimiQ Corporation (Austria) working as Corporate Pastry Chef.
August 2012, Mullaney opened his own business “J Mullaney Pastries,” a consulting and catering firm serving clients around the world.
Cortney Davis
Loews Hotel, Atlanta
Pastry Cook II of the Loews Hotel in Atlanta, Cortney Davis developed her love for food at the young age of 15. Her culinary career began when she served as an entry level pastry cook at Villa Christina, a banquet/restaurant facility located in the prestigious Dunwoody area of Georgia. As her experience grew, so did her love for fine dining and all things sweet. Davis’ journey lead her to the likes of restaurants and hotels such as Hilton Atlanta, Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante, and the Mansion On Peachtree, throughout the Atlanta areas of Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead.
Charles Heaton, CRC CEC
Moxie/Red Restaurant Group
Currently Chef Charles Heaton is running his own business consulting to the Food Industry to both Manufacturers and Food Service and Retail operators. He is a graduate of the CIA and holds the certification of Certified Research Chef and Certified Executive Chef. His experience is with retail product lines as well as the prominent US chain restaurants and all of the major casual dining chains in the Canadian Market working in conjunction with food service product manufacturers. His work also includes the development of private label items for Retail, Deli and Food Service areas of private and national grocery chains as well as the bakery program for a local grocery chain.
Current Retail product accomplishment include two full product lines launching in a major retailer under a private label and the second into general grocery sales. Annual sales of each of these lines is budgeted at over $50MM.
Chef Charles offers a solid culinary base with a passion for food, combined with knowledge of food science and manufacturing and technology. He is qualified with a wide range of creative techno-culinary experience in diverse food service, retail and R&D positions. He excels in Product Development as well as Commercialization and works project management from concept to production and application. Experienced in Menu design and presentation for fresh and frozen food manufactures as well as the retail and grocery market. Areas of experience include sauce, entrée, and side dish formulation as well functional and flavored beverage development. Chef Charles is also passionately well versed in World cuisines and ingredients. He is successful in communicating, training and developing people through example and interactivity in the production of manufacturable, culinarily sound products
For five years prior to starting his own company he was Product Development Chef / Technologist with Nestle FoodServices in both the refrigerated and frozen areas. He is strong in developing and matching custom products for chain customers as well as products for the branded product portfolio and their application. This includes matching flavor, function and label declaration breakdown. As a chef he is well versed in the evolution of the Speed –Scratch concept of product development and application.
Some of his other successes include the development of a Demi-Glace concentrate with an authentic taste and mouth –feel, freeze/thaw/heat stable butter based sauces and a series nutritional special diet airline meals. He is also known a resourceful product developer who produces clear, accurate recipes and works with a strong sense of pride and urgency.
As a culinarian Charles Heaton’s European fine dinning experience includes six years of work in the kitchens of two a and three star Michelin Guide restaurants. These restaurants include RESTAURANT AUBERGINE***, Munich, Germany, RESTAURANT BRUDERHOLZ**, Basel, Switzerland, RESTAURANT HOTEL DE VILLE, Echallens, Switzerland and RESTAURANT LA MERE GUY**, Lyon, France. In the domestic arena Chef Charles has been executive chef in a number of large conference and resort hotels as well as a corporate executive chef of for LSG SKY Chefs. The use of these solid culinary foundations gives Charles Heaton the skill and reference to incorporate authentic, current and classic flavor foundation into his bench and manufacturing work. His culinary experience has been round to include the development and operation of both food service and retail bakeshop operations from restaurants to full service bakeshops supplying breads and pastries to multiple outlets and locations.
Charles Heaton is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York and has attended the University of Denver, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. He has also attended food science courses at Rutgers University, University of Kansas and University of Nebraska. He is also a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Management Course and Public Speaking Course. He is an active member of the Research Chefs Association, American Culinary Federation and Institute of Food Technologists. Chef Charles is a guest instructor with the Food Science Department of Purdue University.
He is a citizen of the United States of America and is fluent in French, German and Spanish languages.
He is a passionate food, wine and pastry enthusiast and has a strong interest in woodworking, automobile sports, international culture and travel.
As a food service product development professional Chef Charles Heaton offers a broad base of experience and skills from fine dining to mass production of quality products. This combined with his innovative product development skills and experience and ability to grasp the need of his customers makes him an asset to the teams he joins and supports. He is a diverse and well-rounded person and a passionate food professional that embraces diverse opportunities. As a product development consultant Charles Heaton dedicated to a high level of customer service, integrity and accuracy.