Eileen realized at a young age that if someone paid her to make cookies when she grew up, that would be the thing to do!

After years as an employee, food stylist, and cooking school manager in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, Eileen opened Bella Dolce in November 1997 following her graduation from Women’s Economic Ventures’ Self-Employment Training (SET) in 1996.

Eileen, a California Culinary Academy-trained pastry chef, designs desserts, cakes, and cookies for caterers, hotels, and sweet-toothed clients. Her petite sweets and hand-painted shortbread cookies grace the palette and bring artistic elegance to any occasion. Eileen has graciously donated creative sensations to many WEV events.

President of the Women’s Culinary Arts Guild for the past three years, Eileen enjoys “the opportunity this gives me to mentor women who are just starting out in business and to support and network with my peers.” She also serves on the founding steering committee for WEV’s W! Membership Organization, launched in 2003 to provide networking and continuing education to both WEV clients and local businesspeople.

Recently engaged to Don, she’ll will gain a talented new partner in her venture. They bring complementary skills: Don in accounting and business operations, and Eileen as chef, artist and designer.

Together, Eileen and Don have a passion for sweet success.