During her first quarter at Sullivan, Leah Stewart would sometimes stare into the display windows and think, “Wow. Just how good do you have to be to get your work displayed?” In her last quarter, she had three items in the display case.

That was just the beginning of Chef Stewart’s accomplishments. In   addition to recently having a wedding cake she created chosen by People Magazine to represent Kentucky, she and her husband, artist Gordon Moffet, own the Gallery House, a beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast in Louisville.

Chef Stewart had advanced degrees from other universities before enrolling at Sullivan, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2001, adding a Baking & Pastry degree to  her credentials. She has fond  memories of her Sullivan experience.

A great learning environment

“One of the best things about going to Sullivan is the freedom to learn by experimenting and making mistakes. I often learn more from fixing my mistakes than when I do something just right the first time, although I enjoy that  experience a lot, too! When I was learning to make gum paste flowers, I recall showing them to Chef Derek Spendlove, CEPC, CCE, AAC, Chair of the Baking & Pastry Arts department, who could always be counted on to respond with, “Pretty,   but the petals need to be thinner.” He encouraged me to keep trying until I got it right. In the “real world” a pastry chef has to produce, often in great volume, and usually on demand for an order, so there’s not really time to experiment and learn as you go. That’s a real benefit at Sullivan: students have a very supportive environment with knowledgeable chef instructors who instruct, critique, and encourage.

Valuable learning experience

“Part of my first day as an intern was spent scraping mistakes off the top of cakes – you know, misspelled names, decoration colors that didn’t quite work, whatever, and fixing them. Have you ever scraped red writing off a white cake and then repaired it to a nice smooth finish? What a valuable skill – being able to fix mistakes without the “fix” showing. It teaches patience . . . concentration . . . and to be careful the first time. What a great learning experience! What a skill builder!

“I’d been baking for 40 years by the time I enrolled at Sullivan but still had some things to learn. I graduated with a higher appreciation for the job and the life of a chef, the commitment it really takes to be a good or possibly great chef ,and a joy for pastry.

“My website bio begins with the quote, ‘Food is art.’ I truly believe that. My Sullivan education enabled me to stretch my skills from ‘pretty good’ to a higher level of more artistic pastry work. It’s what today’s more sophisticated consumers demand, and fortunately, I’m able to deliver!Thanks Sullivan!”

Visit Leah on her websites www.LouisvilleWeddingCake.com and www.theGalleryHouse.com