About Chef Charles Froke
Starting out in Minnesota with ties to a Wisconsin family, Charles’ mother and both grandmothers fueled his passion for kitchen creations. His first love was all things sweet including pancakes, cookies, pies, cakes, and gingerbread houses.
His professional career really began when he got a job as Pastry Sous Chef at the esteemed Four Seasons in Washington, D.C. His next career move landed him in Miami as Executive Pastry Chef. After picking up various Latin and Caribbean tastes, he returned to Four Seasons D.C. as Executive Pastry Chef. Charles then took on another position at the same time in Costa Rica, going back and forth, and running both kitchens with a high-level of execution.
For the past 25 years, Chef Froke has been working in 5-star hotels, where he baked for kings, queens, movie stars, and rock stars. Now he has returned to the midwest with the same passion about his craft and everything sweet. Only this time, he has his own renovated bakery in historic downtown Hudson, Wisconsin.
He’s worked with the VIPs
Thomas Keller
Michael Mina
Jacques Pepin
Michel Roux
Jannick Aleno
Charlie Trotter
Jose Andres
Roland Mesnier
White House Pastry Chef
The Gingerbread Artist
For years as a notable pastry chef in the Washington, D.C., metro area, Chef Froke developed memorable gingerbread creations. These have included edible versions of Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the National Cathedral, and the Smithsonian Castle to name just a few.
Planning is an essential part of the process. He shapes trial pieces with gingerbread dough, making several pieces of the same structure. His projects can take up to 100 hours of work and well over 100 pounds of gingerbread. His dogs thoroughly enjoy the annual tradition – and that he smells like gingerbread throughout the process. “Over the years, I have gotten more efficient,” he said. “It is a great process, but it is fun.”
Every Christmas he has picked a new location. You’ll have to wait to see what he picks this year!