Cacao Barry has named Cédric Barberet — pastry chef and partner at Barberet Bistro and Bakery in Lancaster, Pa. — as the newest member of its international Ambassador Club.

But in this political environment, it is notable that in 2002, Barberet was the Executive Pastry Chef at the Mar-A-Lago Club, the membership-only club in Palm Beach, Fla. owned by Donald Trump. And, during his tenure there he spent two months creating Trump’s 5-ft. tall, 200-lb., seven-tier Grand Marnier chiffon wedding cake with nearly 3,000 white icing roses.

In this new role as an Ambassador, Barberet, a celebrated French-born pastry chef, will collaborate with other pastry chefs and chocolatiers to influence the world of pastry through his innovation, artistry and technical expertise.

With this appointment, Barberet becomes one of only 12 Cacao Barry Ambassadors located in the United States. The invitation-only Club includes a global membership of more than 100 pastry chefs and chocolatiers from more than 20 countries.

“Our team spent time with Chef Barberet at his new Bakery and Bistro, and it felt like we were on Place de la Madeleine in Paris,” says Alexandra Urbe-Adams, senior brand manager, region Americas. “We were overwhelmed by the wide selection of French style pastries, viennoiserie and the chic design of the boutique. Every corner was filled with delightful sweet and savory gourmet foods.”

Urbe-Adams says the company is proud to welcome Barberet into the Ambassador Club.

“He brings deep experience and an authentic interpretation of French pastry, coupled with a provocative approach to flavor combinations,” she says. “He is a tremendous example of the type of craftsmen who are ushering in new and progressive ways to experience dessert.”

Barberet combines his passion with a sharp eye for detail, creating elaborate cakes and pastries that are based on classic French construction.

He believes that the best pâtisserie is achieved by using simple, quality ingredients with the proper balance of traditional and modern techniques. As a new Cacao Barry Ambassador, he will share his chocolate expertise and unique approach to fine French pastry through demonstrations, recipe creation and other collaborative efforts with chefs in the United States and globally.

“It is an honor and privilege to join the ranks of so many talented gourmet professionals as a Cacao Barry Ambassador,” Barberet says. “My main motivation and preoccupation is to create pastries that arouse and surprise the taste buds by combining the finest ingredients with precise execution. I believe this is an essential factor if we are to ensure the evolution of our profession.”

Barberet began his career at the age of 16 working in his parents’ bakery in Villefranche near Lyon, France. It was here where he uncovered his passion for dessert creation and began to hone his technical skills. In 1995, he moved to the United States to pursue his career aspirations serving as a pastry chef at several luxury hotel and resorts including M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas where he worked under Executive Pastry Chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France recipient, Jean Claude Canestrier.

After working at the Mar-A-Lago Club he moved to Philadelphia to become Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bec Fin in September 2009.

Over the next few years, he became increasingly recognized as a leader within the world of pastry, and was awarded membership to Académie Culinaire de France in 2011. He joined the Stephen Starr Restaurant Group in 2012 as Executive Pastry Chef at Buddakan, where he remained until March 2015.

In June 2015, Chef Barberet along with his wife and business partner, Estelle, opened Barberet Bistro and Bakery in Lancaster. The upscale bakery offers a beautiful and impressive selection of cakes, petits gâteaux, tarts, macarons, truffles and wedding cakes. The bistro offers a casual and affordable French dining experience, including lunch and dinner served Tuesday through Saturday, and brunch service on Sunday. The bakery/bistro concept pays tribute to Barberet’s rich French heritage.

In addition to Chef Barberet, theCacao Barry USA Ambassador team includes:

• Simon Brégardis – Executive Pastry Chef at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami
• Melissa Coppel – Chocolatier, Owner of Sucre LLC Consulting, Las Vegas
• Dimitri Fayard – Executive Pastry Chef at The Peninsula, Chicago
• Lauren Haas – Dpt. Chair, Pastry Chef Instructor at Johnson & Wales, Providence, R.I.
• Franck Iglesias – Executive Pastry Chef at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Conn.
• Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer and Chef Sébastien Canonne – Co-founders of The French Pastry School, Chicago
• Rocco Lugrine – Pastry Chef Instructor at the Art Institute of Philadelphia
• Frédéric Monti – Corporate Pastry Chef at PreGel America, Concord, N.C.
• Gabriele Riva – Consultant, New York City
• Amanda Rockman – Executive Pastry Chef at South Congress Hotel, Austin, Texas