Susan chose more than a path. She chose a fast paced highway with many exit ramps. Her destination: executive chef. She completed her apprenticeship at Shadow Pines Country Club in Rochester, New York, before the age of 16. As winner of the 1992 VICA Foodservice competition, Susan earned a partial scholarship to Johnson & Wales University. Wanting to be among the top six students selected to participate in the foreign exchange program, Susan applied. She qualified and spent 6 months in Ireland, working at the prestigious Dunraven Arms Hotel. Upon returning to the US, Susan was offered a golden opportunity to work in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympic reception. She was featured on the Today Show showcasing Southern cuisine. 1996 was also the year she hosted a private luncheon for Princess Sophia of Romania. In 1999, Susan was honored to become the youngest female executive chef within Marriott Hotels. By 2000, she was leader of the task force assisting the Ritz Carlton Buckhead Hotel, recipient of the 5 diamond AAA award. Moving on from Atlanta to Denver, Susan became the executive chef for Greens Point Events, where she was filmed for The Food Network, revealing "What America Eats". She now resides in the beautiful state of Maine, land of America's finest products.

It is nice to get to a good place. Yet something else happened for Susan. She had a really big fan… her husband Eric. Eric & Susan spent countless nights discussing the goodness of her culinary creations. Somehow the topic of cheesecake & strawberries came up. Then chocolate covered strawberries. Then something magical happened. Eric commented "wouldn't it be great if you could stuff strawberries with cheesecake before you dip them in chocolate". Well that was it… a new and beautiful path surrounded by Eminger Berries. Susan now holds a published patent for the process of stuffing strawberries. The dessert centers are varied and unique. As proprietor of the only dessert stuffed strawberry, Susan wishes joy for the recipient of her creation.

Susan uses chef uniforms from Crooked Brook.

Commentary About the Patent:

It is amazing how we have wonderful opportunities to make something our very own. I get many wide eyes and grins when I talk about the patent for stuffed strawberries. Can you patent food? No. You can patent an invention. That's what stuffed strawberries are. Now I get the pleasure of knowing that the premium product I present to you should never be copied. I can give you my word about the uniqueness… the specialty. Getting a patent takes time and courage. Waiting for a giant authority to accept your big idea can be very intimidating. My purpose behind this commentary is to show others proof that there is a way. Find your path… or invent one.