About Jan
Jan Kish and her winter cake.
Jan Kish, artist and baker extraordinaire, is listed among the top culinary masters in the country. Creating unique special occasion cakes is a talent Kish carefully honed in the classroom of the leading international cooking schools including Cordon Rose in New York City; Cordon Bleu in Paris; and L'Academie de Cuisine, in Washington DC.
Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Cake Bible and owner of Cordon Rose, states that, "Of all my students, Jan is the most precise in the execution of her cake designs which are very much in the English tradition. When you go to Harrods', you will see cakes like hers."
Culinary arts are only a part of Kish’s career. She was educated in English Literature at Oxford University, England, worked as a cardiac catheterization assistant at The Ohio State University Hospital for ten years (home of the 2002 Fiesta Bowl National Football Champions!), and was the events coordinators as well as owner of a catering business and two restaurants all entitled la petite fleur. But for Kish, it was her Hungarian heritage and her Mother’s passion for baking that ultimately won her heart.
Distinguishing Kish from other culinary artists is her ability to use her diverse skills to personalize an event, expressing the "heart and soul" of a special moment in delectable, delicious cake creations. She works closely with her clients to acquaint herself with their desires and to develop ideas uniquely suited for their occasion; such as incorporating the design of the bridal gown or using significant symbols particular to the celebration.
She then goes to great lengths to actualize them using many artistic techniques such as stippling, painting, sculpting and architectural structuring. To further enhance her creations, she often incorporates gold leaf, pressed flowers from her garden, molded marzipan of almond or pistachios, and hand-molded sugar pieces.
As an international star in the culinary world, Kish receives requests for guest appearances and shipment of her cakes worldwide. She appeared on the "B. Smith with Style" TV Show and was chosen along with three other culinary artists from across America to prepare a wedding cake for NBC's show "Today Throws a Wedding."
Ms. Kish created her phenomenal Limoges Box Cake that garnered, once again, rave reviews. She was requested to participate in both the Philadelphia Flower Show and the Newport Flower Show by their planning committees and in each instance those exhibits won "Best In Show." The American Craft Museum in New York City asked that Kish re-create one of David Gilhooly's sculptures, "Gilhooly's Coffee Break," which was then exhibited at the museum.
