"I was hooked with the first class, and asked my mom to enroll me. I knew I had found what I wanted to do."

At the age of 19, Silva had his first professional experience, working as a pastry cook at Todd English's New York City restaurant, Olives. Shortly thereafter, Silva left Olives and moved to Sant Ambroeus bakery. During his two years there, Silva was able to explore his affinity for creating cakes, ultimately deciding to further hone his skills in the kitchen at Atria.

In 2009, Silva left Atria to join the team at EMM Group. In his role as Pastry Sous Chef at EMM Group's restaurant Abe & Arthurs, Silva perfected the art of producing art-quality cakes both quickly and frequently for a diverse group of discerning diners. Hailed for his innovative designs, Silva's creations served as jaw-dropping centerpieces on the tables of such stars as Sofia Vergara, Chris Brown, and Carmelo Anthony.

Additionally, Silva is the Executive Pastry Chef at EMM Group's newest Meatpacking eatery, CATCH. Having worked closely with Executive Chef Hung Huynh leading up to the opening, Silva skillfully and playfully designed a pastry menu that reflects the restaurant's identity. With marquee menu items like the Peanut Butter Cup Three Way-- a milk chocolate souffle with peanut butter ice cream, a chocolate covered peanut butter popsicle and a miniature peanut butter cup -- Silva focused on making desserts that are entirely unique in both flavor and presentation. His imaginative and whimsical style made Silva and his pastry department an integral component in developing the character of CATCH.