Jolene Worthington, executive vice president of The Eli’s Cheesecake Company, is one of America’s premier cake and cheesecake bakers. Jolene trained in pastries, baking, and candy-making at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. She has lectured on her technique for creating premium cheesecake at the American Institute of Baking and has spoken to the Culinary Historians of Chicago on the “History of Cheesecake.” Before joining Eli’s, Jolene wrote the “Cooks’ Tools” column for the Chicago Tribune, was the culinary consultant for the Time–Life cookbook series Good Cooks, and was a freelance writer for Cuisine Magazine. Jolene is a member of the board of directors of Slow Food Chicago, has served on the governing board for the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, is a board member of and mentor for the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, and is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Jolene’s long-standing passion for food and creative approach to all endeavors make hers a unique voice in the food world.
Diana Moles, vice president of research and development for The Eli’s Cheesecake Company, wears two toques—one creative and the other technical. Diana oversees research and development of new products for domestic and foreign markets and directs the process and application of baking technology. Her deep understanding of food science allows her to magically turn concept into reality. Her professional training includes time at the American Institute of Baking and the Culinary Institute of America. An award-winning pastry chef, Diana is also a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier. She teaches cooking and fine pastry classes in the Chicago area and is also an advocate for people with disabilities.
Maureen Schulman, director of publicity for The Eli’s Cheesecake Company, is an award-winning publicist and photographer. Maureen has been a part of the Eli’s Cheesecake story since 1980, when she joined her father-in-law, Eli Schulman, and husband, Marc, in launching Eli’s Cheesecake at its public debut at the first Taste of Chicago. Maureen has given significantly of her time to assist not-for-profit organizations: she serves as president of the board of The Happiness Club, a diverse group of Chicago kids who encourage positive values and social change through original hip-hop and pop music and dance, and also sits on the board of the Magnificent Mile Foundation. Maureen is also a presidential appointee to the board of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. She is a graduate of the University of Miami and received a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Northwestern University.
Jolene Worthington, Diana Moles, Maureen Schulman, and Tara Lane
Tara Lane is an award-winning chef and culinary innovation consultant. Tara apprenticed at New York’s renowned François Payard before receiving national acclaim as executive pastry chef at Chicago’s Blackbird and Avec restaurants. In addition to undergraduate degrees from Portland’s Le Cordon Bleu and the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Tara earned a M.S. in design methods from the Illinois Institute of Technology. She also served as the food preservationist at the Jane Addams Hull House Kitchen in Chicago, where she focused on food advocacy and policy issues. Tara, a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, remains committed to seasonality, sustainability, and regionalism.
Peter McCullough is the CEO of McCullough Photo, a photography firm specializing in food, architecture, commercial design, and concept photography. Peter hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he began his career as chef at the award-winning McMasters. He also served as executive sous chef at the Kensington Hilton in London and at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.
