With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality profession, Chef Toni Roberts has held executive pastry leadership roles at some of Chicago’s most prominent hotels and restaurants, including The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, theWit Hotel, and C-House. Her work reflects a balance of technical precision and creative vision—qualities that led to her selection as a chocolate candidate in the 2025 U.S. National Selection for Club Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie Team USA.
Since 2021, Chef Toni Roberts has led an expansive pastry program at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, where she oversees seasonal menus for Torali Restaurant, daily breakfast pastries and confections for The Café, and customized offerings for the Ritz-Carlton Residences. Her responsibilities span 434 guest rooms, in-room dining, and curated amenities, along with bespoke desserts for more than 25,000 square feet of event space. She regularly contributes to philanthropic events like Taste of the Nation and Chefs Cook for Ukraine, where top chefs use their skills to support global humanitarian causes.
Before joining The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, Chef Toni Roberts spent nearly a decade as Executive Pastry Chef at theWit Hotel, from 2011 to 2020. There, she oversaw dessert production for State and Lake Chicago Tavern and ROOF on theWit, while also creating custom pastries for VIP guests and wedding clients. In a forward-thinking move that blended hospitality and e-commerce, she launched abitofTheWit.com, a digital platform that enabled customers to pre-order holiday desserts, specialty cakes and seasonal pies—well before online ordering became common in the industry..
From 2008 to 2011, Chef Roberts was the opening pastry chef at C-House, a seafood restaurant in Chicago led by chef Marcus Samuelsson. She managed dessert menus for the restaurant, rooftop lounge C-View, and room service, as well as banquet events. During this period, she took part in a White House State Dinner and a James Beard House dinner, notable events in the culinary community.
She is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where she earned an associate degree in baking and pastry arts in 2005. She has pursued advanced education at L’Ecole Valrhona in Brooklyn, studying chocolate panning and chocolate sculpture—skills that now serve her well.
Chef Toni Roberts offers a rare blend of timeless technique and contemporary relevance. Her career is a testament to sustainable leadership in pastry arts, an ability to evolve with the industry, and an unwavering focus on excellence.
The Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie Team USA is supported by an esteemed group of partners. Valrhona serves as the organization’s main founder and platinum partner, joined at that level by Truffly Made and Gourmet Foods International. Gold partners include Midwest Global Imports, Paul Strabbing and AUI. Silver partners are Dobla, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Chef Rubber, while Paris Gourmet, The Pastry Depot and King Arthur Baking Company serve as bronze partners. Koerner Company and St. Michel are allied partners, and Chef Works | Bragard is the exclusive provider of chef wear for Team USA.
The 2025 U.S. National Selection is scheduled for Sept. 6 at the Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute in Chicago, as part of the Chicago Baking & Pastry Forum. The forum, running from Sept. 4 to 6, offers culinary professionals and enthusiasts opportunities for education and networking. Tickets for the event—and to witness Team USA’s National Selection—are available through Eventbrite.
