Sun Herald subscribers meet the man who made Emeril’s wedding cake
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- Chef Shane Gorringe shared global pastry expertise during a live event in Biloxi.
- Sun Herald subscribers sampled European desserts from Zoe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop.
- Imported ingredients and chef storytelling elevated the food-tasting experience.
The first Sun Herald live food event at Zoe’s Bakery & Coffee Shop Wednesday was a journey and an experience.
A journey as Chef Shane Gorringe, who was raised in Surrey, England, and apprenticed at a renowned Austrian pastry shop near London, captivated with stories of his world travels.
An experience, because he showed Sun Herald subscribers who signed up for the event how he crafts delicate flowers out of fondant. Then he brought out samples of his cookies and cakes.
“Good. Really good,” declared Larry Sturgis of Biloxi, after his savored his first bite of a German/Austrian macaroon with a ganache center made with heavy cream and Belgian chocolate.
His favorite quote from Gorringe’s tales about his life and career was, “No budget, no walls.” That describes how Gorringe (rhymes with orange) was able to bake what he wanted without concerning himself with costs or limits, he said, while he was executive pastry chef at Windsor Court Hotel.
After his apprenticeship, which began at age 15 and lasted three years, the new pastry chef was hired at a hotel in England. It was there he learned that he could travel with his skills, and he moved about every two years. His drive to learn and hard work took him to Munich, Amsterdam, Oklahoma on his first trip to the states, the Middle East and Venezuela before he landed in New Orleans.
Pastries galore
While Gorringe was speaking, those assembled occasionally glanced at the array of pastries that fill the cases at Zoe’s Bakery, named for his daughter.
Cinnamon rolls bigger than a sandwich plate. White chocolate strawberry shortcake, the favorite in Biloxi, by the slice or a whole cake. Huge croissants, scones, coconut tarts and so many other temptations await.
“My husband gets one of these every week,” said Tina Ross-Seamans, executive director of the Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce, pointing to an individual New York cheesecake tart. “We’ve tried just about everything. It’s all good,” she said.
Sue and Don Newton of Gulfport also attended. They frequent Zoe’s, she said, but usually order one of the pastries.
“This is my first time to eat his cake,” she said, and she’s ready to share. “Next time I host Bunko they’re going to get a treat,” she said.
Those who participated in Wednesday’s event are Sun Herald subscribers and self-proclaimed foodies on the Coast. “My husband and I try out all the new restaurants,” said Michelle Webber of Gulfport, and she was impressed with the selection and taste at her first visit to Zoe’s.
Special ingredients and creations
Gorringe arrived at Windsor Court in New Orleans in 1989 and, a few years later, was tapped by the Great Chefs television show for the Discovery Channel.
He met his wife in New Orleans and his traveling days were done, Gorringe said. They opened a bakery in Covington, and he’s continued to develop his skills.
“I did Emeril’s wedding cake,” Gorringe said, referring to New Orleans celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife, Alden, a Gulfport native.
They also make elaborate gingerbread creations and specialty cakes like the Under the Sea creation for Children Museum of St. Tammany that was baked and built in Covington and assembled on site.
Ninety percent of what they bake are European pastries, he said. The ingredients are different in every country where he’s worked and he imports chocolate and jams from Switzerland and other countries. The tariffs are making costs soar, he said, and he’s hoping for a quick resolution.
Biloxi was a surprise
The bakery in Covington makes most of the pastries for the Biloxi store and they are delivered fresh for the morning opening at 2572 Pass Road in Biloxi, east of Eisenhower Drive.
How Gorringe got from England to international hotels to Biloxi was an accident, he said. He went into the Biloxi coffee shop for a cup of coffee and to sell the owners a wholesale contract and left with an agreement to open a new bakery and coffee shop.
“It’s a full coffee shop,” he said, with a drive-in window and a blackboard list of specials made with Abita roast coffee from Covington.
“I’ve driven by here many times,” said Nancy Hunter of Gulfport but said she thought it was primarily coffee. Instead, she found Wednesday’s food event a wonderful chance to hear about the business and get a first taste of the goodies, she said.
The Sun Herald intends to offer similar tasting events to give subscribers a chance to sample Coast restaurants and bakeries. Chefs interested in taking part should contact senior editor Tim Thorsen at tthorsen@sunherald.com or reporter Mary Perez at meperez@sunherald.com.
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
