AMY NEFF ROTH
aroth@uticaod.com
| Observer-Dispatch
When Kaleigh Ligoci and Paul Snell were married on June 17 at Dibbles Inn in Vernon, they didn’t need to choose a pastry chef.
Ligoci, who designs cakes every day as pastry cook at Turning Stone Resort Casino, just needed to apply all her expertise and creativity to designing and making her own wedding cake, as well as a groom’s cake and a full dessert display.
She chose a trendy split design, featuring a “vintage feel with intricate scroll piping, handmade gum past flowers and gold accents” on her side of the cake, Ligoci said. The other side featured a different character on each tier – Superman, The Flash, Batman, The Green Arrow and Doctor Who – to represent Snell’s love of superheroes and science fiction.
Ligoci learned her craft as a baking production and management major at Alfred State College, during two and a half years of working at Mario’s Bakery and at Turning Stone where she started as a baker in 2011.
Why did you decide to become a pastry chef?
Baking has always been a passion of mine. Even when I was younger, I loved to bake and create. Decorating wedding cakes allows me to design and construct edible works of art that can be both aesthetically pleasing and a delicious indulgence.
In my position with Turning Stone, I’m able to work directly with couples as they plan their big day. It’s very rewarding to work through the entire process with them and see their joint vision come to life.
What do you like about working with buttercream?
I love working with buttercream, specifically Italian meringue buttercream, because I can get the cakes perfectly smooth and attain beautifully sharp edges.
The biggest challenge when working with buttercream is air bubbles in the frosting and condensation that develops on the cake when taken out of a cooler; both can cause imperfections in the design
What are some of the most fun cakes you’ve decorated? What’s the most unusual request you’ve ever gotten?
The one cake that sticks out in my mind was an Alice in Wonderland-inspired cake that I did for one of the Turning Stone bridal shows. It was a whimsical, topsy-turvy cake full of color that incorporated and showcased many cake decorating skills and techniques.
The most out-of-the-box cake I’ve worked on was a 3D airplane cake
Should customers have to choose between beauty and great taste when it comes to cakes?
I believe a successful cake decorator can create a cake that is both delicious and beautiful; guests shouldn’t have to choose one or the other.
Follow @OD_Roth on Twitter or call her at 315-792-5166.
Dining and Cooking