PreGel AMERICA is excited to welcome Sean Pera, formerly of Herons at the Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary, NC, and winner of the 2013 4th Annual StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition.
“Having gotten to know Sean over the last year at various events, we felt a natural synergy with him and were impressed by his tenacity and talent,” said Frederic Monti, corporate pastry chef, PreGel AMERICA. “He has displayed a sincere thirst and passion for culinary arts and brings a wealth of knowledge with him that complements the immense talent of our team.”
Pera’s extreme focus and discipline this past year as a competitor introduced him to PreGel at the StarChefs.com International Pastry Competition and Season 3 of the Chicago Restaurant Pastry Competition. “I kept noticing that PreGel was a major sponsor at a lot of the competitions I participated in, and I used their products in my submissions,” said Pera.
Pera also attended one of PreGel’s 5-Star Pastry Series® seminars instructed by world-renowned Chef Ramon Morato. “During that class I got to see firsthand how the training center operated, and it really struck a chord with me because they were so professional and not only extremely dedicated to the craft but to the education behind it all.” Ultimately, PreGel’s dedication to consumer education is what piqued Pera’s interest in the dessert ingredients company.
“PreGel is dedicated to the education of their consumers and I think that really makes them stand out as a leader in this industry. It makes me proud to be a part of such an amazing team,” the new assistant pastry chef confirmed.
With the addition of Pera, and newly promoted Pastry Chef Russ Thayer, PreGel continues to build a strong culinary team, enhancing its stance as an industry resource for superior ingredients and quality education – a sentiment Pera supports.
“I would definitely suggest to any pastry chef to attend some of the classes here at PreGel AMERICA, especially the PreGel 5-Star Pastry Series®. Working here has really opened my eyes to many things I never knew about pastry, and I think as pastry chefs we are always looking to better ourselves, push the boundaries and to educate others on our craft. I am fortunate enough to work at a company that excels in the education of professionals in this industry and to work beside some of the greatest pastry chefs in the world,” said Pera.