Certified Executive Pastry Chef Emeritus
Certified Culinary Educator
Chef DeMane is certified as a culinary educator through the American Culinary Federation. She has also achieved the certified executive pastry chef certification from the American Culinary Federation. Chef DeMane has been teaching students at IUP for 25 years.
As the founder of the Baking and Pastry Arts Program, Chef DeMane developed the curriculum for 150 days of study covering related subjects ranging from Artisan bread to plated dessert trends. She now serves as the program coordinator for 30 students each year.
Chef DeMane's industry experience includes corporate positions as pastry chef for Sheraton Hotels Pacific/Far East division, Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, corporate executive pastry chef for three vessels on Premier Cruise Lines for Disney cruises, and first American and first woman to hold the position of pastry chef on Holland America Cruises.
She owned and operated her own wholesale/retail bakery in Palm Springs, California, and has prepared desserts for President Reagan, state governors, the USA Olympic committee, and 3,500 attendees of the Grammy Awards, among others.
Prior to arriving at IUP, Chef DeMane was department chair and instructor at the Florida Culinary Institute, where she developed the curriculum for their degree program in International Baking and Pastries.
She was honored with IUP'S prestigious Senate Award for teaching excellence and has presented to her colleagues on curriculum development at national and university forums. Chef DeMane graduated fifth in her class in the top 1 percent of 500 students at the Culinary Institute of America in 1977.
Chef DeMane has been featured in three publications; A Woman's Place Is in the Kitchen, an in-depth look at the role of women in professional kitchens; In Mother's Kitchen, an inspirational thank-you to all of the women who gave us our start in cooking; and About Professional Baking, a textbook for the students learning their trade.
Active in competition in pastry art and showpieces, Chef DeMane has earned 10 medals, including bronze, silver, and gold, as well as best in show and most creative showpiece. She is constantly seeking to increase her skills and knowledge and has completed more than 40 courses in pastry arts during her tenure at IUP.
Her life outside of the classroom is filled with gardening and landscaping her 125-year-old home, which was awarded garden of the month and was featured in the annual garden club tour. She and her husband, Richard, share a love of all creatures great and small, adopting a family of rescue cats and enjoying time together as avid birders.
Shown below are examples of Chef DeMane's work.
