Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Welcomes Pastry Chef Mohan De Silva

BALTIMORE MARRIOTT WATERFRONT WELCOMES PASTRY CHEF MOHAN DE SILVA
Internationally Acclaimed Pastry Chef Brings Dessert Program to New Level

Baltimore, Md. (May 14, 2012)-Baltimore Marriott Waterfront is pleased to announce the addition of Chef Mohan De Silva to their culinary team as Pastry Chef. With more than 25 years of experience, De Silva brings an award-winning culinary reputation to the Baltimore waterfront hotel.

"We are very excited to bring a visionary like Chef De Silva to Baltimore," General Manager Ed Rudzinski said. "He possesses both the creativity and poise needed to take our property to the next level in the pastry and dessert landscape."

Originally, De Silva set out to become an architect thanks to his love of design and construction, but his medium soon switched as he became increasingly captivated by the culinary arts, specifically baking and pastry arts. His mind danced with all the possibilities of not only the physics and gravity involved when creating a dessert but the adornments that give desserts their visual appeal.

"I find the process of transforming dry ingredients into cakes fascinating," De Silva said. "Looking at a multi-tiered cake, I see the beauty in the design of the piece-striking the balance of a strong foundation, in both construction and flavor, and artistic and imaginative decoration."

After attending a one-year pastry and garde manger program in Sri Lanka, De Silva began a whirlwind of hands-on experience in well-regarded hospitality establishments across the globe including stops in the Bahamas and Saudi Arabia. De Silva cites the seven years he spent at The Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda Resort, apprenticing under former White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, as the most influential of his career. He also amassed a wealth of experience during his time managing the pastry departments in the Marriott Corporation's largest hotels in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

De Silva has received more than 30 national and international culinary awards including 12 Olympic Medals at the International Exhibition of Culinary Art, the largest culinary exhibition in the world. Recognized for his excellence, De Silva was selected to serve as the Executive Pastry Chef for President George W. Bush's Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball in 2004. De Silva has also been featured on The Food Network and Fox Morning News.

Known for his one-of-a-kind desserts, De Silva is skilled in Patisserie, Chocolatier, Glacier and Boulangerie techniques. At the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront he will focus on elevating the hotel's dessert offerings in both the restaurants and catering operations, translating trends and clientele needs and visions into edible works of art.

"It's a pleasure to welcome Chef De Silva to the team," said Executive Chef Carlos Gomez. "We both share a drive for excellence and innovation that will be carried throughout every aspect of our food and beverage program at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront."

In recent years, Baltimore has seen what can only be described as a culinary revival of sorts and when it comes to the dessert and pastry category, De Silva joins area greats like Duff Goldman in the mission to put Baltimore on the map as a dessert destination. To experience De Silva's creations visit Grille 700, Kozmo's Lounge or Rigano's Bakery and Deli at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

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