Matthew Petersen, Pastry Chef Matthew Petersen grew up in Dublin, PA surrounded by a family that enjoyed baking and all things pastry. His mother made exquisite wedding cakes for family and friends; his aunts and grandmother were equally as gifted with pastry and desserts. Matthew was particularly fascinated by the elegant wedding cakes his mother was able to make from his home kitchen. Matthew’s first job as a prep cook at a local catering company gave him his first taste of the professional food-service industry. It was this experience and childhood memories of his mother, aunts and grandmother that made Matthew set his sights on a career in the industry. When he graduated from high school, Matthew moved to Providence, RI, to attend the famed culinary institution of Johnson & Wales University, skipping his senior year of high school to begin college. While majoring in Baking and Pastry Arts at Johnson & Wales, Matthew also worked as the pastry chef at Agora restaurant in Providence. Esquire magazine recently named Agora “One of the Best New Restaurants in America.” In 2000, Matthew was offered the position of Executive Pastry Chef at the world-renowned Castle Hill Inn & Resort in Newport, RI, working under Executive Chef Casey Riley. After spending time at Castle Hill Inn & Resort in Newport, RI and Lacroix at the Rittenhouse and Morimoto in Philadelphia, PA, Matthew decided to make the move to New York City in September 2007. For the next ten months, Matthew resided in New York City, working as Executive Pastry Chef at Daniel Boulud’s contemporary French bistro, DB Bistro Moderne. Here, Matthew exhibited his talent for the modern classics of French pastry. A talent that would precede him, allowing him to make the move down to Palm Beach in June 2008, when he accepted the position of Executive Pastry Chef at Café Boulud Palm Beach located in The Brazilian Court Hotel. Matthew has been awarded “Best Dessert in Rhode Island” by the Providence Journal-Bulletin for his Caramel Cr¸me Brulee. He will continue to create innovative desserts for the award winning Café Boulud Palm Beach while carrying on the family tradition of creating wedding cakes and celebratory desserts for the many special events held at Café Boulud Palm Beach.