[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 172 (Tuesday, December 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ORLANDO SANTOS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 21, 2010

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise with pride to offer my 
congratulations to Orlando Santos, son of Diane Tutein and Enrique 
Santos, who was featured on the Food Network on Sunday, December 19th 
as one of the competitors on the Food Network Challenge Sugar 
Destinations.
  Orlando, the executive pastry chef at the Duquesne Club in 
Pittsburgh, hails from the island of St. Croix and truly represented 
his artistic and culinary talent with the sugar piece he produced.
  Although he did not win, he has made a name for himself and remains a 
favorite of the judges for his unselfish desire to take his mother to 
Denmark to connect with her Danish ancestry.
  Orlando is a product of the public school system in the Virgin 
Islands and was raised in a environment of strong, determined women to 
include his mother Diane, his maternal grandmother Mercedes and his 
maternal great-grandmother Mariel. He began his training in the 
culinary arts at St. Croix Vocational Complex. He graduated from 
Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, Florida and attended the 
French Pastry School in Chicago. Orlando won his first professional 
competition in Atlanta with our very own local sweetbread, a pastry 
that is typical in the Virgin Islands around the Christmas season. In 
2004, he won first place in the wedding cake category at the Southern 
Pastry Classic.
  During the challenge on Sunday, Orlando displayed his signature 
technique; local Virgin Islands flowers, which represent his culture 
and traditions.
  So, on behalf of myself, my staff and our Virgin Islands community 
all over the world, we are very proud of Orlando as he continues to 
make a name for himself and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the very 
competitive culinary world.

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