Meet Our Team
Get to know the faces behind our delectable treats and the passion that drives us to deliver exceptional quality and taste.
Santosh Tiptur
Founder/Chef
Prior to the 2017 opening of The Conche, Chef Tiptur spent 10 years as Executive Chef and Pastry Chef at CO CO. Sala in Washington D.C. His creations have been enjoyed by residents and tourists alike at this Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC ‘RAMMY’ award-winning restaurant and nominee pastry chef of the year.
Chef Tiptur has over three decades of culinary experience in the luxury hospitality organizations. He served as the corporate executive pastry/bakery chef for Cunard and Seabourn Cruise Lines where he was responsible for both the pastry and bakery operations on board the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Caronia, the Seabourn Pride, the Seabourn Legend, and the Seabourn Spirit.
During his tenure Chef Tiptur implemented various programs and menus with a number of celebrity chefs, including Chef Charlie Palmer and Chef Daniel Boulud and Chef Thomas Keller. Prior to joining Co Co. Sala, Chef Tiptur worked as the executive pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton Hotel San Juan Spa and Casino where he was directly responsible for pastry and bakery operations for the 416- room hotel. Here, he introduced classic modern artistic fusion into the desserts served at the six various hotel outlets. He was also part of the key management team involved in the opening of the South Beach Ritz Carlton and the Grand Cayman Ritz Carlton.
Over the year’s chef Tiptur had the opportunity to expand his chocolate arts, honing his craft to develop the unique, artisanal chocolates that have been offered at an array of prestigious hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton, The Mandarin Oriental, The Inn at Little Washington, and The Jefferson Hotel.
His expansive edge in pastry artistry and impeccable reputation for taste and flavor profiling gave way to his inclusion in the coveted 2009 National Pastry Team Championship, a spot to shine at both the 2010 & 2011 New York Chocolate Show with broadcast appearances on CBS Early Show, NBC Today Show, Fox 5 and numerous appearances on The Food Network shows such as Sugar Dome, Kid at the Candy Store, Chefs vs City, Halloween Wars Season 3 and 6, and CNN ,to highlight a few.
In addition to tirelessly working, Chef Tiptur makes the time to serve both global charities such as YMCA, Share our Strength and our community’s local charities such as Miriam’s Kitchen where he has served as their guest chef. As a devoted husband and father of two, he often gives demos and speaks at his children’s schools about chocolate & pastry arts.
With Chef Tiptur at the helm managing a staff of 38, His menus continue to evolve with finesse and sophistication. Chef Tiptur’s final products often encompass refined, balanced flavor profiles highlighting chocolate as the prime ingredient in many of his signature creations. Since the beginning, today, and moving forward, Chef Tiptur is sincerely committed to using only the finest & freshest ingredients in each one of his unique, edible works of art. Chef Tiptur’s most recent venture is La Prensa tacos and tapas bar. Located in Sterling Virginia. Focusing on tradition and global influence taco and tapas
Kathleen Faliskie
Executive Pastry Chef
Kathleen began her baking career in high school, making baked goods and pastries for local coffee shops while attending school full-time. After graduating from Loudoun County High School, Kathleen enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where she graduated with a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts.
Kathleen began her professional career as the Head Baker at Potomac Pastries in Centreville, VA. In 2017, Kathleen began working at The Conche as a Pastry Assistant and expanded her knowledge in plated desserts, fine chocolates, preparing cakes for events, and worked her way up to Executive Pastry Chef. In 2020 Kathleen began creating custom cakes for events such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries, and worked closely with clients to help bring their visions to light. The expansion of the cake business has been particularly exciting, and to be able to bring a client’s vision to light, in a cake, is extremely fun and rewarding. In 2022 Kathleen competed on Food Network’s ‘Spring Baking Championship: Easter’ and was a semi-finalist in the six week competition. Kathleen is excited to be part of the new ‘Conche Chocolate and Cake Studio’ and to continue to share her passion of chocolate, cakes, desserts, and pastries with the Northern Virginia Area.
Sara Dobson
Master Chocolatier
Sara has been in chocolate on and off for about 20 years. Originally from the U.K. where her parents owned a chocolate business, she learned the basics and a taste for quality chocolate. Wanting to experience city life, growing up in a small village, she moved to London to work for a large Swiss chocolate company, where she found chocolate was really her passion. She then moved to Northern California, where she worked for a small chocolate business. In 2014, she was on the move again, this time her husband’s work brought them to Northern Virginia. Always looking to get back into chocolate, she could not believe her luck when she found out that The Conche was opening. She appreciates that she is one of the few people who really enjoys going to work every day.
Isabel Arispe
Marketing And Brand Development Manager
Isabel began at The Conche in 2019, it was her first restaurant job. She took on many roles, wore many hats and worked her way up the ladder to land her career as The Conche Marketing And Brand Development Manager. She runs all social media accounts, is the point of contact for all wholesale orders, and organizes all events. “I have learned so much working at The Conche alongside Samet and Chef Santosh, they have provided me with amazing opportunities, allowing me to grow in the best way possible into a person I would have not recognized a couple years ago. It has been and still is truly a pleasure.”