From left to right: Chef Francios Dionot, Amy Eisinger and chef Roland Mesnier

Amy Eisinger won first place in the 2011 Roland Mesnier Pastry Arts Scholarship Competition held at L’Academie de Cuisine (LAC) on Oct. 29. Her chocolate pumpkin layer cake garnished with brown sugar pepita toffee and candied ginger beat out 12 other entrants for the grand prize, a $4,000 tuition credit scholarship to LAC’s professional pastry arts program.

“All the entries showed a good deal of work and understanding of pastry,” admissions director Heather Roth said in a statement.”

Chef Mesnier, former White House pastry chef and founder of L’Academie de Cuisine’s pastry arts program was a judge, along with chefs Francois Dionot; Theresa Souther, director of the pastry program at LAC; and Mark Ramsdell, former director.

Eisinger plans to enroll in LAC’s January 2012 daytime pastry arts program. LAC currently is recruiting for 2012 programs, including the inaugural evening pastry arts program beginning on March 27, 2012.