Executive Pastry Chef Kate Sigel, Conversation and Thompson Seattle
Kate Sigel is from Chicago, Illinois and attended Harrington College of Design, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design. A passion for creativity led her to her major, but she realized very quickly that it was not her true calling. With a background in fast-paced restaurants and hospitality, she enjoyed working in a guest-facing environment for many years but was interested in applying her design skills and nimble thinking in a new way. She realized pastry school was an enticing mix of her interests; so acting on her inspiration, she attended the French Pastry School in Chicago and became completely enamored.
Shortly after graduating, Kate started at Bistro 110 (Levy Restaurant Group), which received the Bib Gourmand. After its closure, she worked in Northern Ireland and then returned to Chicago to assist Bistro 110’s former Executive Chef in opening his own outpost, Chez Moi. At that time she also launched a custom cake business, Kate’s Cakes Chicago, and continued both projects side-by-side until she landed at Rush, where she oversaw pastry and cakes for their in-house catering and retail outlets.
In 2015, Kate made the move to the Pacific Northwest where she began her own cake business, Sweet Tooth Cake Co, and began working as the Pastry Director for Huxley Wallace Collective. She then transitioned to Thompson Seattle as the Executive Pastry Chef of the newly opened hotel, overseeing pastry for Scout PNW restaurant, The Nest rooftop lounge, room service, and events. She quickly became known for her in-house bread program and special event cake program, where her whimsical style and playful flavor combinations are evident in her desserts.
Today Kate remains at Thompson Seattle where she adds one more exciting chapter: Executive Pastry Chef at Conversation, the boutique hotel’s new signature all-day dining concept, where her pastries and desserts bring a cleverly sweet perspective to the table.