As a child, Tina Haldeman enjoyed helping out in her mother's kitchen but never dreamed of becoming a chef. Haldeman’s education began in Pusan, South Korea, and continued at various universities throughout the United States.

After trying a number of unsatisfying jobs, she began taking courses at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute – now Le Cordon Bleu – in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since graduating, she has had the good fortune to work with several very talented and well-known chefs throughout the country.
Haldeman comes to HE&R from Sea Island Resort in Georgia, home to the renowned Cloister hotel, where she was the assistant pastry chef since 2002. Prior to that resort, Haldeman held positions as pastry chef under Master Chef José Gutierrez at the signature restaurant of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, Chez Philippe; executive chef and manager for Boon Enterprise, Inc., where she opened various restaurants in Winter Park, Florida; and executive pastry chef at Horseshoe Casino Tunica, in Tunica, Mississippi.

Haldeman’s specialty is cake design, especially wedding, grooms' and other theme cakes. She will undoubtedly compliment the wedding offerings at The Hotel Hershey.

Haldeman won a gold medal for Best Chocolate Dessert at the International Visitors Corps of Jacksonville, Florida, Chocolate of the World competition in 2006. She also won a silver medal at the America Culinary Federation/California Raisin Board Signature Hot Food Competition during the 2005 International Food Expo.

Highlights of Haldeman’s career include participating in a Food Network Challenge called “Celebration Cakes” and serving eight world leaders and their wives, including First Lady Laura Bush, at the G-8 Summit held at Sea Island Resort in July 2004.

As Executive Pastry Chef of The Hotel Hershey, Haldeman will oversee a staff 25 employees during high season that creates everything sweet for all dining outlets at The Hotel Hershey.

Haldeman says that chocolate is everywhere, and Milton S. Hershey can take a great deal of credit for that. She believes that it may be the most versatile food on earth since it is eaten, drunk, used as decoration and more. Haldeman appreciates the color, taste and texture of chocolate and loves to use it in or on her cakes.