Lorraine Eaton
Category: Food
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The Pilot's "Dream Team" judges announced for State Fair of Virginia
02
Aug 08
8:26 PM
We have assembled a talented panel of judges for our "Dream Team" competition. First place winners in their categories will become part of our team and their cakes will be delivered to the State Fair of Virginia in September.
Now, drumroll please . . . . . . . .
Deana (pronounced Dee-Na) Kilber is practically a Virginia Beach native as her father's military career brought them to Hampton Roads when she was just a toddler. Memories of watching (and helping) her mother bake and decorate ignited a passion some 30 years later, and now Deana is the owner of Classic Cakes, a custom cake business located in the Red Mill section of Virginia Beach. She also teaches the art of cake decorating locally so she can share that passion and inspire others to find their inner sugar artist.
Her judging assignment: Pound cake
Chef John Patrick Telfer is the Executive Chef and owner of the Silver Palate Bistro and Catering Company in Virginia Beach. Chef John is also an Executive Pastry Chef who trained under the First Master Chef of the United States. Chef John carries a passion for the creative and artistic flair in the fine art of pastry and baking.
His judging assignment: Pound cake
Judy Cowling is a self-employed artist and designer who loves to cook and entertain, but she lives for her sweets. She believes that dessert should be officially declared one of the basic food groups and that cake for breakfast is a fine way to start the day! Bring on your best and hand me a fork!
Her judging assignment: Novelty cakes
Jerry Weihbrecht is the Executive Chef and co-owner of Zoe’s restaurant in Virginia Beach, the first Virginia Beach four-diamond restaurant and the winner of The Pilot’s inaugural Taste Test for its chocolate dessert. He has also worked in Denver, California and Hawaii. He is a Taurus and he is single.
His judging assignment: Carrot Cake
Vicki Perish is a nursing student at Old Dominion University and on the wait staff at Gordon Biersch in Town Center.
Her judging assignment: Carrot Cake
Emi Ostrander is a culinary arts teacher at Tidewater Community College and former pastry chef at TradeWinds. She graduated from Stratford University in Fall Church.
Her judging assignment: Coconut Cake
Patrick Galiardi attended Johnson & Wales and has worked in most of the fine dinning restaurants in the area, starting with le' Chamboard under Chef Alain, then The Lucky Star with Amy Brandt, then The Coastal Grill with Jerry Bryan, then Bogies (at the time) with Mike and Corey (Beisel), then became Chef at Cayote Cafe for Gary Black and Richie Bonner. Then there was a brief stint with Willie Moats at Cafe' Society.
Went to New Jersey to work under four-star Chef Craig Shelton at the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse N.J., and then back home. Opened my own place called Sages - An American Bistro for two-and-a-half years. Then left again to work under Charlie Trotter in Chicago Ill., then off to join Wolfgang Puck at Spago in Chicago for 1.5 yrs. Got up with David Burke for a brief time, then back home to help briefly my fellow chef and friend Alvin Williams at Cobalt, then Back to Chicago to work for B.R.Guest a restaurant group with 12 in Manhattan and Now 2 in Chicago at Blue Water Grill. Back home again (whew) and now assisting Passion as the Chef de cuisine.
His judging assignment: Pound Cake
Patti Peterson started baking out of necessity when her fabulously talented cake lady died suddenly before one of her children’s birthday parties. She could craft anything out of cake – a rubber ducky in a bubble bath, Cinderella’s carriage, you name it.
In her own words: “Some mothers get supernatural strength when their children are in peril . . . I, instead, learned overnight to bake and become a fondant semi-pro. (I despise store bought cakes and restaurants that don’t make desserts in house.) I started getting pretty good at it so my miser husband, who runs our family restaurant, The 219, decided it would be more cost effective if I moonlighted as the pastry chef.
“Once a week, I go in and make carrot cakes, cheesecakes and for special menus, tiramisu, coconut cake and triple chocolate ganache cake. I also make mean lemon meringue and key lime pies and Grand Marnier crème brulee. My favorite task, though, is to see what whacky cake challenges my three kids come up with when birthdays roll around.
Her judging assignment: Novelty Cakes
Gail Milteer is from Franklin and works for the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services as a Marketing Specialist who also works with the Virginia Grown and Virginia's Finest programs. Prior to VDACS she was a home economist with Virginia Cooperative Extension.
She has judged many county fairs, including those in Southampton, Isle of Wight and Amelia in the jelly, jams, canned vegetables categories.
Her judging assignment: Pound Cake
Denis Finley, editor of The Pilot, was a pastry chef in a former life. With his best friend, he opened a restaurant called “The Mad Batter” in Cape May, N.J. in 1976 and he worked in Key West, FL in the early 80s.
His judging assignment: Pound Cake
Kathleen Rausch is a single mother of two sons, a 20-year home baking business/caterer/tea party stager. She also has 37 years of nursing experience is now a nurse at the Surry nuclear plant.
“I have baked alone since I was 9-years old and sewed my own clothing. I love to cook and grow herbs, and enjoy all entertaining!”
Her judging assignment: Devil’s food and angel food
Crystal Whiddon has attempted and perfected (with an occasional flub) some very fine cakes. Daughter of a baker, her taste buds have been duly tested over time to prepare her to critique the foremost delicacies Hampton Roads can provide. As a judge, she represents all the mothers who have ever perfected their favorite cake recipe, only to frost a Big Bird or Thomas the Tank Engine on top- all for the love of the little ones.
Her judging assignment: Coconut Cake
Kim Gilkerson is owner (dishwasher, hostess, cashier, telemarketer, painter, trash hauler, baker, “stock-boy”) of Butterfly Garden Tea Room & Itty Bitty Bakery in Virginia Beach, the past Director of the Virginia Tea Society, 2005-2007, a former recreation Specialist with the city of Virginia Moved to Virginia Beach
“I come from a long line of women who love cakes, pies and goodies! My grandmother’s favorite store was Dolly Madison, a day old bakery store. My mother, a great baker, made incredible cream puffs the size of softballs that always seemed too small as I plopped the last bite into my mouth! And I took up the mixing spoon and bowl in my early teens & haven’t been able to put it down.
At age 5 I discovered the true meaning of the phrase “sweet tooth” when visiting my grandparents during the summer months. My grandfather, a driver of a delivery truck for our local “Wonder Bread” company, would come by each day after finishing his deliveries and let me and my brother get on the truck and pick anything we wanted as a treat. Talk about nirvana! And yes, this was before dinner, so I was always allowed to “eat dessert first”. Twinkies (with chocolate milk) are still my guilty pleasure to this day.
I took my first “Wilton” cake class at age 19 and began making and decorating birthday, special occasion and wedding cakes in my own business by age 21. My mother and I also opened and ran a candy and fudge shop in our hometown of Huntington, WV.
Fast forward 20 years-After working for the City of Virginia Beach for 10 years, I decided to give in to my passion for cooking, baking and entertaining and open the Butterfly Garden Tea Room & Itty Bitty Bakery. It is truly a labor of love that coincidently leaves me with very little time to do baking!!
Favorite dessert: All of them! I am fond of pound cakes and things like trifle that have cake, fruit and custard together. I have never met a dessert too rich to finish!
Favorite flavor: Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. And almond.
Favorite celebrity baker/cook: I want to be Paula Deen when I grow up!
Favorite cookbooks: Southern Living & Cuisine at Home
I have a pantry filled with cookbooks that I love to get out and read over and over again. They are my novels!
Her judging assignment: Carrot Cake
Cheryl Acklin has never used a cake mix. She learned her craft from “country cooks,” her mother and aunties. Sometimes, she would use 5-pounds of sugar a week to bake. “The only think I buy at the store, because I’m too lazy to bake them, is chocolate brownies.”
Her judging assignment: Pound Cake
Dallas Wood works in the stock market and enjoys lavish entertaining in her spare time, from cocktails to desserts. Many of her inventive recipes come from her late mother’s repertoire.
Her judging assignment: Carrot Cake
AnnaBelle Eversole is the long-time owner of Wine & Cake Hobbies and AnnaBelle's School of Cake Decorating in Norfolk. She has studied under or taken classes sanctioned by several well-known decorators including Josefa Barloco (Mexican Gumpaste Flowers), Jerry Kern (Australian Methods), Edith Gates School (Lambeth Method), John McNamara School (Figure Piping) Chula Vista, California and Betty VanNorstrand.
Her judging assignment: German chocolate, Caramel iced and chocolate-iced layer cakes
Steven Ciccone, internationally-known cake decorator, was introduced to the art of cake decorating by his Grandfather. He has a degree in Occupational Studies in Baking and Pastry Arts from the Culinary Institute of America. He has studied intensely with Internationally acclaimed cake artist Betty VanNorstrand and Pastry Chef Patty Mitchell.
His avant guard style of decorating has won him several prestigious awards including 1st Place Ribbon winner of Societe Culinaire Philanthropique de New York 2006; Gold Medal Winner of Vatel Club of France 2006; 1st Place Ribbon winner of Societe Culinaire Philanthropique de New York 2007; Gold Medal winner of Societe Culinaire Philanthropique de New York 2007
His work has been featured in many national magazines and he is the Chef Demonstrator for “Living the Life” on ABC Family.
Locally, he teaches classes at Wine & Cake Hobbies, where he got his start.
His judging assignment: German chocolate, Caramel iced, and Chocolate-iced layer cakes
Daris Garvin and his partners recently opened Mannino’s Italian Bistro in Virginia Beach. He has been in the restaurant business in the area for more than 20 years.
His judging assignment: Devil’s food and Angel food cakes
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