Chef Laura Johnson, Notre Dame Food Services, was named 2015 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Central Region Pastry Chef of the Year, and will go on to compete against regional counterparts in the ACF National Convention in Orlando, Florida, July 30 to Aug. 3 for the national title and a $5,000 award.
Her winning dessert was a pastry-wrapped chocolate cake served with coconut rum ice cream, macerated tropical fruit, caramelized pineapple and banana with a banana cream and passion fruit fluid gel. Johnson served first as an intern and later as baker/pastry cook at Notre Dame Bakeshop. In her current capacity as floor chef for Notre Dame Food Services, she oversees a staff of eight and produces pastries for University Catering and Morris Inn.
This story was originally published in NDWorks.