The Princess of Pastry: Michele Mitchell

Before The Great British Bake Off, Ace of Cakes, and Cake Wars brought fanciful bakes to the forefront, Michele Mitchell’s reputation already had made her the reigning—and recognizable— pastry chef in Delaware.

For nearly 20 years, she worked at the iconic Hotel du Pont, where the dessert displays in the Green Room are legendary. When a Russian exhibit of Faberge eggs came to town, Mitchell created a 10-pound replica using such ingredients as white chocolate and marzipan. Photographs of the egg went national.

She also appeared on the Food Network’s The Best Of show, and for a segment on CBS’s The Saturday Early Show, she and friend Tom Hannum, then the hotel’s executive chef, were given $20 to shop for and prepare a three-course meal for four. As if all that were not enough, she’s made pastries for guests at the James Beard House.

Mitchell started baking at a young age. Measuring and weighing appealed to Mitchell who, like her three sisters, is good at math and science. It’s no wonder. Her father worked for such electronics and technology companies as RCA and Texas Instruments. He also worked for NASA. “No one can spell in my family,” she says. “No one has pretty handwriting. We’re completely math-scientists.”

His jobs took the family from the South to the West Coast and Bermuda. After graduating from high school Mitchell, a talented clarinetist, was preparing to enter a prestigious music college. Suddenly, she balked. “I told my parents that I didn’t want to do it,” she says. She followed her gut without knowing why.

Making a cake for a coworker’s birthday led to many more —she was good at it. At that time, a family friend was studying to be a chef at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. Inspired, she visited the school, which had a pastry program. She was sold.

In 1990, fresh out of culinary school, she began a series of savvy career moves. For nearly six years, she worked at Trump Castle—later Trump Marina—in Atlantic City, where her showstoppers, along with her dedication, earned her the assistant pastry chef position. She moved to Washington, D.C., to become the executive pastry chef at the Sheraton, which fed 4,000 during President Clinton’s inauguration weekend.

In 1998, she was more than qualified to take on the executive pastry chef role at the venerable Hotel du Pont. Her work ethic, daring creations and ability to lead in male-dominated hotel kitchens earned her respect. The job also put her in contact with Chuck Lewis, who handled procurement for the DuPont Country Club’s kitchen. They wed in 2005.

When the DuPont Company sold the hotel in 2017, Mitchell decided to start Michele Mitchell Pastry Designs. Her reputation quickly landed her a series of pastry classes at Tonic Bar and Grille in Wilmington and a roster of ready-and-willing clients.

Mitchell, who keeps her massive collection of cookie cutters and decorating tools in a Craftsman chest, has made celebratory cakes for all occasions. It is her wedding cakes, however, that inspire the most oohs and ahs. Forget Vera Wang gowns. In the Greater Wilmington area, the bride that wants to display fashion sense boasts about her Michele Mitchell original.

Trends and tips: When it comes to wedding cakes, buttercream is increasingly edging out fondant, Mitchell says. The tiers are still beautifully adorned with decorations. Some trendsetting brides want a metallic touch, and Mitchell has also made cakes that look like glossy, smooth marble. As for the shape, forget circles. A few cutting-edge couples prefer tall rectangles, squares and even a mix of geometric shapes. Larger tiers might top smaller ones. Transporting the top-heavy cakes may require assembly on site.

Michele Mitchell Pastry Designs, 302.317.1189