As Pastry Chef at the award-winning, luxury L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Bill Foltz is responsible for overseeing a team of bakers and pastry cooks providing unique desserts for all L’Auberge food outlets, including eight dynamic restaurants, room service, large conferences and high end guest functions. He assumed the position in June 2009.
Foltz brings more than twenty years of dynamic experience to L’Auberge. He specializes in fine dining, high volume banquets and exquisite chocolate and sugar showpieces with successful leadership positions at 4-star/4-diamond rated establishments. In 2006, he earned a gold medal at the U.S. Pastry Competition and was named U.S. Pastry Chef of the Year.
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Pastry Chef Courtney Goldian has brought artistry and enthusiasm to the Willard InterContiental’s pastry shop for the past three years. She creates her classic confections for Café du Parc, the hotel’s popular authentic French Bistro, and for the hotel’s high-style social events. Chef Goldian earned a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Political Science from James Madison University, when the sweet side of life beckoned. She soon enrolled in the Pastry Arts Program at L’Academie de Cuisine, graduating with honors. This career choice proved to be a fruitful one that has led to Chef Goldian’s experiences as Pastry Cook with the Ritz Carlton Tyson’s Corner; Assistant Pastry Chef at Chef Geoff's and later Executive Pastry Chef at Chef Geoff's Downtown.
Naomi Gallego is Executive Pastry Chef at Fairmont Pittsburgh. Gallego studied culinary arts management at St. Philips College in San Antonio and later earned a Master Pastry Diploma from the Konditormeisterschule in Cologne, Germany. She began her professional career in San Antonio at La Mansion del Rio Hotel. From 2000-2002, Gallego worked at Café Schubert in Saarbrücken, Germany. Gallego also worked in Washington, D.C. at PS 7’s Restaurant and Vidalia Restaurant and was awarded “2007 Pastry Chef of the Year” from DC Modern Luxury Magazine. Gallego served as Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin from 2007-2009 and joined Fairmont Pittsburgh in 2009 as the property’s inaugural pastry chef where she oversees the pastry kitchen for the hotel and Habitat restaurant.
Mark Ramsdell was the Director and Head Instructor for L'Academie's Professional Pastry Arts Program. A graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine, he studied under the tutelage of Roland Mesnier, Executive Pastry Chef at The White House. After graduation, he assisted Chef Mesnier at L'Academie for eight years and worked with him at the White House. Chef Ramsdell founded several (award-winning) culinary enterprises including the Pastry Design Studio, specializing in large show cakes. Pastry Design Studio was listed by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington, DC's top ten pastry shops for the 15 years Chef Mark owned the company. He also established Dining In, the DC area's first gourmet meal delivery service. Chef Mark now teaches pastry arts classes for the Recreational Cooking Division. Prior to his culinary pursuits, Chef Ramsdell taught urban policy analysis and design in Architecture School. He holds an MBA and a PH.D.