Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta Executive Pastry Chef Lasheeda Perry will be heading to Johnson & Wales University Providence as its 2018 Distinguished Visiting Chef for pastry.
Since 1979, the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University has honored industry professionals through its Distinguished Visiting Chef program. During the academic year, three internationally recognized chefs visit the university to share their knowledge with students of culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary nutrition and food service management.
“I look forward to giving back to the university that helped me fall in love with my career decision and become who I am today,” says Perry.
As the 182nd Distinguished Visiting Chef, Perry will present two demonstrations to an audience of approximately 150 students, faculty, staff and senior administrators. The presentations are a chance for her to showcase her expertise in the field of pastry and discuss her career path since graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 2008. A scholarship will be presented in Perry’s name to a deserving student who will then assist the pastry chef during her prep and demonstration days.
A creative force in the kitchen, Perry leads the pastry team at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta and oversees the hotel’s two dining outlets, all banquets and private events, weddings, room service, chef tastings and off-site events.
Yvette Thomas-Henry, general manager at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta notes, “Lasheeda’s talent, creativity and ability to connect with every guest makes her an integral part of our team.”
Perry has received numerous awards and accolades during her career. In 2012, she won season two of Food Network’s Sweet Genius after proving her skills by masterfully executing each challenge. That same year, several of Perry’s desserts landed on Philadelphia food critic Craig LaBan’s coveted Four-Bell Finest list, and she has contributed recipes to the book “The Matcha Miracle: Boost Energy, Focus and Health with Green Tea Powder.”
“Lasheeda is a remarkable, humble and grateful person, whose motivation and inner drive to succeed always stood out to me—even when she was just 17 years old,” Perry’s Philadelphia high school culinary teacher, Wilma W. Stephenson says. “Her passion for this field is extraordinary.”
Before her move to Atlanta, Perry served as executive pastry chef for Bon Appétit Management Company, and held various positions within Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts across the country.
