The Three Bakers

Meet the talented people responsible for those irresistible aromas (and tastes) you’re experiencing during your travels across the Cape Resorts campus

Sunscreen. Sizzling barbecue. The sea. These are the smells of summer you’ve come to love and expect. But at Cape Resorts, olfactory joys don’t end there. The aroma of fresh baked goods gently wafts through the storied rooms of Congress Hall. Savory and sweet treats invigorate the senses at Tommy’s Folly Café. And the desserts of The Ebbitt Room—well, let’s just say they give that ocean breeze a run for its money as best summer scent. Of course, the scones, muffins, cupcakes, doughnuts and cakes awaiting you on the Cape taste even better than they smell. That’s because these delectable treats are crafted in-house daily by seasoned bakers and pastry chefs—all with fresh ingredients from Beach Plum Farm.

We sat down with three of our flour-covered masterminds to get the skinny on all this sweet work. What they had to say is best enjoyed over something warm and decadent.

Gina Martino

The Blue Pig Tavern & Tommy’s Folly Café

Gina Martino starts her baking at 7am sharp, donning her white chef’s coat. Then, it’s off to the races—delectable scones and muffins for Tommy’s Folly Café; the Blue Pig’s signature apple pies; reviewing what’s on order for special events. Gina has a lot on her plate, but she hits the ground running each morning.

Growing up in Wildwood Crest, Gina first fell in love with baking when she and her grandmother cooked Sunday dinners together. In her big Italian family, gnocchi, macaroni and “gravy” were a must, along with ricotta cookies and Jiffy Muffin Mix when baking for friends and family. She always knew this is what she wanted to do.

The baking and pastry program at Cape May County Technical High School taught Gina the basics, allowing her to travel to expos and compete in SkillsUSA—a competition for America’s trade and technical workforce. Gina then attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she attained her Associate’s degree. In 2015, CIA introduced her to an externship with Congress Hall under previous Chef Jeremy Einhorn. Following graduation, she returned as Lead Pastry Chef. In 2017, at only 24, she was promoted to Pastry Chef.

“People do look at me as young, and I meet people outside of work and don’t like to tell them,” she says. “Age shouldn’t matter. It’s about your work ethic.”

Gina continues to learn and explore baking trends, new items and flavors. The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg is a book she turns to often for inspiration. A favorite for Gina is layered entremets—a complex layered cake made up of different dessert techniques. She enjoys a challenge and will often read a new recipe 20 times to learn the science behind it. “Everything has to be exact,” she said. “You can’t substitute baking powder with baking soda, because the end result will not taste the same. It’s very different from adding a little bit of spice here and there when you’re cooking.”

During the summer season, Gina has other pastry cooks to help her. She visits career fairs at CIA to recruit students as externs, just as she once was. “It feels good to have them here,” she said. “I can see that they’re nervous and scared but I can relate to them. I know exactly how they feel.”

Her best advice? “Never let a messed-up recipe discourage you.”

The homemade cinnamon buns Gina makes over at the Blue Pig Tavern are a must-try.

Susan Marleton

Beach Plum Bakery & Café

Inside West End Garage on Perry Street, you’ll find the Beach Plum Café. The counter in the vintage warehouse space is lined with trays of enticing cookies, doughnuts, scones, muffins and various loaves— all courtesy of Susan Marleton, head baker at the cafe since 2018.

Initially, Susan lacked confidence in baking. As a little girl in Broomall, Pennsylvania, she started out baking cookies with her mother to share with their church and neighbors. Before too long, she found herself fielding requests. Eventually, she had a small business on her hands.

Susan shifted gears several times on her path to professional baking. She attended a small cooking school in Media, Pennsylvania, served as a caterer in Northern New Jersey, and worked for a telephone company in Broomall before moving to Cape May to run the Heather Inn bed and breakfast with her husband. She developed a fanatical following in Cape May when she and her husband owned the local Coffee Tyme coffee shop. For 15 years, patrons lined up for her baked goods.

After selling the business and taking a stab at retirement, she has come back to her passion, baking for both the Farm Market at Beach Plum Farm and the Beach Plum Bakery & Café at West End Garage.

Through the years, Susan’s passion for baking grew thanks largely to support from family and, most importantly, customers. Countless loyalists she’s converted throughout the years line up bright and early for goodies from the cafe. Because the kitchen doors are always open, they are able to see the scratch-made magic as it happens. Often, these customers inspire new recipes.

“I like to ask them what they would like, just to make somebody’s day,” Susan said. “Life is tough, so kindness, fun and sweetness are important.”

And, Susan added, so are dietary restrictions. “I once asked a customer who couldn’t have sugar or whole grain ingredients what they would like,” she said. “It took a year, but I finally got it for them. I enjoy doing it.”

So what’s the must-have item on her menu? Let’s just say those salted brown butter cookies have been made with a lot of heart.

“If you don’t truly love what you’re doing, you can taste it in certain things,” Susan said.

For this baker, at least, keeping the love alive is easy. It comes down to the joy of watching someone enjoy what she’s made. Her grandson’s expression when his face is covered in chocolate? That always does the trick.

“I never take it for granted,” Susan said. “I want to make our customers happy and for them to come back.”

Heading over to West End Garage? Be on the lookout for Sue’s fresh-made scones. They’re worth the trip alone.

Anna Rodionova

The Virginia Hotel & The Ebbitt Room

Homemade ice cream and sorbet, doughnuts, apple turnovers, cakes and pies—so many tantilizing choices. This all comes to you courtesy of Pastry Chef Anna Rodionova. Anna, a native of Russia, ventured to Cape May for the first time in 2007. Here on a J-1 visa for young students looking to earn money and experience in the United States, she worked in the kitchen at Jackson Mountain Café (now Delaney’s Irish Bar and Grill), and then at Winterwood Christmas shop on the Washington Street Mall.

After returning home to Russia, Anna met her husband and had their first child. In her spare time as a new mother, she took pastry classes five days a week and baked for friends and family. “I wanted to learn something new,” she said. “I love to study.”

In 2015, Anna and her family decided to move to Cape May, and she set her heart on a baking job. She met with then-Ebbitt Room chef Matthew Crist, and showed him photos of what she could do—he gave her a shot.

Anna continued to perfect her baking with Cape Resorts until a brief hiatus in 2017 when she returned to Russia. Although she had no expectations of keeping her job upon returning to Cape May, The Ebbitt Room’s new chef, Jason Hanin, decided she was still the best fit.

“It is a lot of work, but I have fun learning new recipes,” she said. “We make a lot of things here—croissants, eclairs, mouse cakes, truffles. Chef Jason gives me a lot of freedom and, when we have a more open schedule, I like to put more of my personality into my baking.”

One of Anna’s go-tos? Honey Cake, a popular dessert in her Russian family that consists of thin crusts layered with pastry cream. She also enjoys mousse cakes and macaroons, which are also common in European cuisine.

Of course, as with any baker, there are still challenges. Fondant, a sweet paste made with sugar and water used for decorating cakes, often proves to be a temperamental ingredient. But Anna is constantly improving her skills, taking classes every chance she gets. She said she’s grateful for everything she’s learned so far. And—next time you find yourself enjoying a sweet treat on the Ebbitt Room porch—you likely will be, too.

One of Anna’s go-tos? Honey Cake, a popular dessert in her Russian family that consists of thin crusts layered with pastry cream.