The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center has a new pastry chef in-house, Erica Tomei.
A Chicago native, she started in the industry 14 years ago at a small catering shop, and most recently was the first pastry chef at the Chicago Marriott Naperville, working with then-executive chef Sean Patrick Curry. Curry, who recently advanced to the regional championship of the International Association of Conference Centres’ Copper Skillet competition as one of two chefs representing the association’s North American chapter, is now the executive chef at the Hilton, and the two are reunited. Tomei’s creations work hand-in-hand with Curry’s modern farm cuisine, using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
“For me, Erica completes the equation,” Curry says.
Tomei brings with her some signature concepts, like a honey-infused pastry that incorporates fresh honey from the beehives on-property. Another is her own yeast strain, through a dough starter she has been cultivating at home for six months. She will use the starter as the base for the hotel’s new artisan bread. Tomei and Curry have plans to launch a patisserie in spring 2016 that will be open for business to hotel guests, as well as for walk-in or call-in orders to the public.
“I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate honey into my pastries,” Tomei says. “Having the 10 beehives here on property is our way of contributing to the environment, as bees pollinate one-third of our natural food supply.”
For groups, Tomei says mini pastries are her favorite item to make.
“This allows me so many options and ways to completely customize for our clients based on their needs and likes,” she says. “It also allows me to put my own flavor profile to each creation.”
The hotel and its chefs are working on creating teambuilding programs, like an Iron Chef-style competition and cooking classes such as how to make homemade bread, cake decorating 101 and bee keeping.