PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Harry Giordano, a figure well-known to Philadelphia bakers, died this week at the age of 52. Giordano helped produce Philly’s annual Let Them Eat Cake fundraiser.
"It is the area’s largest wedding cake competition, and it is a fierce competition," Giordano said back in 2018.
Event co-founder Mark Kingsdorf said that, for 17 years, Let Them Eat Cake brought attention to local artisan bakers.
"Wedding cakes kind of fly under the radar unless you’re watching Food Network," Kingsdorf said.
Sarah Doheny was the event publicist and a longtime friend of Giordano's.
"He brought a lot of bakers to the forefront, and he also gives students a place in which to showcase [their work]," she said.
As Giordano himself pointed out, they were able to connect culinary students with their mentors through this event.
"We have celebrity cake judges," Giordano said in 2018. "We have Sylvia Weinstock, one of my favorites; Ron Ben Israel, who I adore; we have Robert Bennett from Classic Cake, who is a Philadelphia-famous chef."
David Hall, the former catering director at the Loews Hotel in Center City, says the event was a hot ticket.
"And also [Giordano] was very proud to keep the ticket sales to a price that the public could come to," Hall said.
Doheny said a lot of Giordano's efforts went toward helping nonprofit organizations, including City of Hope and Variety.
“He was a presence. He was a force in the non-profit industry. He was a schmoozer! He would schmooze your pants off," Doheny said.
This year’s Let Them Eat Cake event will continue for the first time without Harry Giordano. It is scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Loews Hotel.