Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Baking and Pastry students Jill Kuncas, Courtney Staiano and Rachel Schmidt know how sweet success is. Members of the university's Student International Pastry Team; they won first place and a gold medal at the Decadence National Student Pastry Competition held in February in Ontario, Canada.

JWU competed against teams from Humber College and the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College. The JWU team impressed the judges with a chocolate showpiece, two types of chocolate bonbons, an entremet, and four different types of petits gateaux during the 14 hour, two-day competition. The team also won the Cocoa Barry award for “Best Use of Chocolate.”

The competition theme, "A Celebration of Chocolate and Icewine," showcased the Niagara Region's signature wine, Icewine.

THE TEAM

Jill Kuncas: a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, Jill will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in May 2013. A 2009 graduate of Sacred Heart High School, Waterbury, Conn., she is the daughter of Al and Justine Kuncas of Watertown.

Courtney Staiano: a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, Courtney will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in May 2013. A 2009 graduate of Hamden High School, Hamden, Conn., she is the daughter of Kieran Staiano and Joann Staiano.

Rachel Schmidt: a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, Rachel will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in May 2013. A 2010 Graduate of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School, N.Y., she is the daughter of Steve and Kathy Schmidt of Honeoye Falls.