Pastry Arts Podcast

Ben Mims: Celebrated Food Writer, Recipe Developer and Cookbook Author Dec 16, 2024

Ben Mims is a highly regarded James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author and food writer with a passion for crafting inventive, accessible recipes. Over his career, Mims has established himself as a dynamic presence in the culinary world, contributing to some of the most prestigious food publications and platforms. His expertise as a food columnist, editor, and recipe developer has been showcased in renowned outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Lucky Peach, and BuzzFeed’s Tasty.

In addition to his editorial work, Mims has penned three celebrated cookbooks, where his signature style of blending comfort food with innovative techniques is on full display. His recipes are noted for their creativity, practical approach, and ability to bring a fresh perspective to classic dishes. His contributions to the food industry have earned him spots in the annual anthology Best Food Writing, further solidifying his role as a key figure in contemporary food media.

Known for his versatility and wide-ranging culinary knowledge, Mims has become a go-to expert for both home cooks and food enthusiasts alike, offering recipes and insights that make gourmet cooking approachable and fun. His continued influence in the culinary world reflects his deep commitment to making good food accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

In this recipe, we discuss:

How Ben fell in love with cooking
Paving the way with journalism and culinary school degrees
How an internship with Saveur magazine led to a full-time test kitchen job
Landing a coveted job as a food columnist for the L.A. Times
How he got his first cookbook contract
Tips on making yourself marketable as a freelance food writer
The challenges of researching and writing his latest cookbook, Crumbs
Some of the interesting tidbits about cookies that can be found in Crumbs
Ben’s best kitchen tip on storing spices
Ben’s advice on making videos for social media
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

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Mario Bacherini: Insights on the Industry from the West Coast Pastry Chef of L’École Valrhona Nov 25, 2024

Based in Los Angeles, California, Chef Mario Bacherini is the West Coast Pastry Chef of L’École Valrhona, where is he conducts classes, demonstrations and workshops for professionals, providing one-on-one culinary consultations and bringing Valrhona’s expert touch to the West Coast. After graduating from culinary school in Florence, Italy, Chef Bacherini went on to do his apprenticeship as a chocolatier. He began working in Michelin-starred restaurants across Italy and France until he decided to settle in Perpignan, France, where he trained under Olivier Bajard (Meilleur Ouvrier de France). In 2008 he moved to Paris, where he worked at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak. Four years later, Bacherini left Paris for New York City, where he took on the role of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, managing three restaurants. While in New York, he also traveled the world to teach pastry masterclasses in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Italy and France, as well as the United States. In 2017, he moved to Los Angeles where he began his own consulting company, providing consulting for bakeries, pastry shops and restaurants, and later on had the opportunity to work side by side with one of the best pastry chefs in the world, Amaury Guichon, in his newly opened school in Las Vegas. Chef Bacherini continued to deliver his expertise across the United States and abroad until he got the call from Valrhona to join their North America team at the beginning of 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

A brief overview of Chef Bacherini’s background
What his creative process involves when developing a new recipe
The four techniques that every pastry chef should master
His thoughts on current pastry trends
Some of the modern chocolatiers he admires
His go-to comfort food dessert to eat at home
Upcoming classes at L’Ecole Valrhona
Easy hand-tempering techniques
The best way to use a dark milk chocolate in a dessert
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Puratos

Need ingredients ASAP? The MyPuratos webshop has your back 24/7 with what you need, when you need it. Order and reorder online instantly––no sales reps, no hassle. Plus, check out consumer insights and add recipe ingredients to your cart with a click. Even better? You’ll get 20% off your first order. 20% off! How sweet is that? Visit Puratos.us and click on MyPuratos to sign up and order today.

Francois Behuet: Executive Pastry Chef with a Passion for Chocolate Oct 03, 2024

Francois Behuet is the Executive Pastry Chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles. Since 2022, Behuet has overseen pastry food & beverage outlets at both The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, which includes the signature Californian trattoria Savoca, Glance Lobby Bar, Illy Caffé, The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, in-room dining and Sendero, including three signature dining experiences (Corteza, Leña and The Agave Library).

With extensive luxury hospitality experience and a deep understanding of the industry landscape, Behuet brings 20 years of pastry experience, most recently playing a pivotal role at Pendry West Hollywood with Chef Wolfgang Puck. There he worked alongside the team on creating the entire pastry program for the property’s three restaurants, developing a pastry boutique and overseeing the kitchen design. Behuet was a member of the USA Pastry Team that won the silver medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie’s Americas Continental Selection in Santiago, Chile in 2022. The team went on to compete at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in Lyon, France in 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

Francois’s roots and how he became interested in pastry
His apprenticeships in pastry and chocolate
Honing his chocolate skills in Paris
His holiday in NYC that led to a move to the U.S. and a job with Payard
Moving to L.A. to work for Bottega Louie and then Pendry West Hollywood
His current position at the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
His involvement with the U.S. Pastry Team
Teaching bi-monthly Chocolate Master Classes
His best kitchen tips and career advice
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Republica Del Cacao

This podcast is sponsored by Republica Del Cacao. Say hello to this authentic Latin American Chocolate! They are a local brand with a global impact! The value of their products begins in the hands of their allied farmers, whose raw materials reach their team. Through processes of excellence, they transform them to create fine origin chocolate enjoyed by Chefs and Chocolate enthusiasts in more than 20 countries, as a community and a brand, they are changing the world, one cacao bean, at a time! Visit https://republicadelcacao.com to learn more.

Stéphane Chéramy: Inspiring Excellence in Pastry Aug 21, 2024

Chef Stéphane Chéramy is currently the Executive Pastry Chef at The Ritz-Carlton & JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, a role he has held since 2006. In this capacity, Chef Chéramy has led the pastry team at this AAA 5-Diamond, Michelin-award-winning resort, managing various aspects of the pastry and bakery operations.

Chef Chéramy is also the President of Club Pastry World Cup Team USA, a member of the Académie Culinaire de France and the James Beard Foundation. From 2006 to 2012, Chef Chéramy was the Chairman of the Ritz-Carlton Pastry Advisory Board - Global.

Prior to his tenure in Orlando, Chef Chéramy held several notable positions, including Executive Pastry Chef and preopening team member at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, and Assistant Pastry Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Naples. He also served as an Assistant Pastry Chef and member of the opening team at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Before coming to the United States, Chef Cheramy worked in a number of restaurants and patisseries in the south of France.

He has judged multiple competitions including the United States tryouts for the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, US Pastry Chef of the Year, and others. Chef Chéramy won the gold medal at the National Plated Dessert Competition (USA), and multiple silver medals include one at the National Chocolate Competition in France.

Club Coupe du Monde Team USA is a leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting transmission, exploration, vision and advancement of both the artistic and scientific realms of the Pastry Arts. The Club seeks, recognizes and support America’s best pastry chefs to represent the United States in the Pastry World Cup. With 50 participating countries, this biannual event is considered to be the most prestigious pastry competition in the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• How Stéphane first became hooked on pastry • His training and honing pastry skills in France • The job that brought him to the U.S. • His career with the Ritz-Carlton • Being named President of Team USA Club Coupe du Monde • His goals for Team USA • Stéphane’s top kitchen tip and advice for aspiring pastry chefs • And much, much more!

Andy Chlebana C.M.P.C., C.C.A.: Teacher, Coach, TV Star Jul 11, 2024

Upon completing an AAS in Culinary Arts from Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Illinois, Andy Chlebana attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park to study baking and pastry. He began his career working for the Four Seasons Chicago, focusing on fine-dining desserts. Chef Chlebana’s career has included positions at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island Grill Room, opening team of the Ritz-Carlton Washington D.C., and Pastry Chef/Corporate Account Manager at Albert Uster Imports, Inc. Chlebana has spent the past 18 years teaching baking and pastry at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Illinois, where he is now Pastry Chef/Professor. Most recently, Chlebana was the coach of Pastry Team USA, which competed at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie, and has completed revising the second edition of his book The Advanced Art of Baking and Pastry (Wiley, 2017), due out later this year. He resides in Plainfield, Illinois with his wife Heather and four children.

In this episode we discuss:

How Andy first got hooked on baking
Taking an alternate route: community college and pastry at the C.I.A.
Landing his first job at the Four Seasons Chicago
Opening the Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.
Joining the sales team at Albert Uster Imports
Finding his true calling: beginning his teaching career at Joliet Junior College
The challenge of earing his CMPC certification
Coaching Team USA for the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie
And much more!

Susan Bae: Bright Star of the D.C. Pastry Scene and James Beard Award Nominee Jun 13, 2024

Susan Bae is the Executive Pastry Chef and founding member of Moon Rabbit restaurant in Washington, D.C. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bae is a 2024 James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Before coming to Moon Rabbit, Bae worked as Pastry Chef at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Texas, and the Michelin-starred Kali in Los Angeles, among other restaurants. Chef Bae draws inspiration from nature, and uses it as a reference point in her desserts. She adores herbs, often employing them to switch up standard pastry flavors.

Once an aspiring school teacher, Chef Bae likes to mentor, and believes it is important to make everyone’s voice heard. She feels that cooks are so important, and that things could not get done without them. It is her opinion that collaboration is key. In her words, “Pastry is not necessarily about the food; it’s about methodical science.”’

In this episode we discuss:

How she learned to bake by reading blogs
Changing course from teaching elementary school to working in a kitchen
Getting a formal culinary degree
Honing her skills at a succession of restaurants
Landing her dream job with Kevin Tien at Moon Rabbit
Her unique dessert menu and what inspired it
Being nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef
Susan’s kitchen tip and advice for pastry chef wannabes
And much more!

Amy Guittard: Unwrapping the Secrets of America’s Premier Chocolate Company May 13, 2024

Amy Guittard, Chief Marketing Officer at Guittard Chocolate Company, is the great-great-granddaughter of Guittard's founder. As the fifth-generation of the family business her great-great-grandfather started in 1868, Amy has an innate passion for cocoa and chocolate. In addition to leading Guittard's marketing department and spearheading the development of the brand, Amy’s involvement at Guittard also includes sourcing and sustainability, serving on several committees for the World Cocoa Foundation, and traveling to origin to meet with farmers, buyers, and traders. She continues Guittard’s long-standing tradition of collaborating on the ground with those closest to the source.

In this episode, we discuss:

How and why Amy’s Great-Grandfather started the company
The changes Amy’s father Gary gradually introduced into Guittard
Guittard’s process of sourcing cacao beans
The company’s involvement in pre- and post-harvesting processes
How Guittard develops a new chocolate product
The significance of chocolate percentages
Guittard’s involvement in heirloom cacao preservation
Sustainability and long-term company goals
And much more!

Martin Sorge: Turning a Baking Obsession into a First-Place Win on The Great American Baking Show Apr 07, 2024

Martin Sorge is a baker, recipe developer, and food writer based in Chicago, IL. A tried-and-true Midwestern native from Fort Wayne, IN, Martin’s passion for baking dates back to his early childhood when he accidentally set a microwave on fire while attempting to make a “biscuit” out of a few simple ingredients. Despite that setback, Martin forged ahead with his love of food to become a self-trained home baker, educating himself on the variety of baking techniques through cookbooks, blogs, friends, learning from mistakes, and lots of eating. He started by baking simple breads and cookies before incorporating more complex dishes to his repertoire, which quickly garnered interest from his friends, family, and community. Looking to share his love for baking with the world, Martin competed in his first-ever baking competition, The Great American Baking Show, and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith named him the winner in 2023.

Today, Martin takes his approachable Midwestern roots, his homebase of Chicago, and his not-too-serious (sometimes corny) personality and combines those with his nerdy technical knowledge to create accessible recipes for the home cook. When he’s not in the kitchen baking up a storm, Martin enjoys board games, jumping in lakes, exploring places near and far with his husband, and his newfound hobby—pottery. (Now he can make the cake and the cake plate.) Follow along with Martin’s baking adventures via Instagram @martinsorge, TikTok @martinsorge, Twitter @martinsorge, his website martinbakes.com, and his Substack newsletter: Great Bakes.

In this episode we discuss:

How Martin’s food-centric Midwest family nurtured his love of cooking
How determination, research and hard work turned Martin into a talented baker
Martin’s career as a consultant in economic development for small businesses
His top survive-and-thrive tips for owners of small food-related businesses
Surviving the application process for The Great American Baking Show
The dirty details: what it’s really like to compete on The Great American Baking Show
Some of the things Martin's working on now, from recipe development to his Substack newsletter
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Republica Del Cacao

This podcast is sponsored by Republica Del Cacao. Say hello to this authentic Latin American Chocolate! They are a local brand with a global impact! The value of their products begins in the hands of their allied farmers, whose raw materials reach their team. Through processes of excellence, they transform them to create fine origin chocolate enjoyed by Chefs and Chocolate enthusiasts in more than 20 countries, as a community and a brand, they are changing the world, one cacao bean at a time!

Mario Bacherini: Bringing Decades of Pastry and Chocolate Expertise to L’École Valrhona on the West Coast Mar 05, 2024

Based in Los Angeles, California, Chef Mario Bacherini is the West Coast Pastry Chef of L’École Valrhona, where is he is in charge of conducting classes, demonstrations and workshops for professionals, providing one-on-one culinary consultations and bringing Valrhona’s expert touch to the West Coast. After graduating from culinary school in Florence, Italy, Chef Bacherini went on to do his apprenticeship as a chocolatier. He began working in Michelin-starred restaurants across Italy and France until he decided to settle in Perpignan, France, where he trained under Olivier Bajard (Meilleur Ouvrier de France). In 2008 he moved to Paris, where he worked at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak. Four years later, Bacherini left Paris for New York City, where he took on the role of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, managing three restaurants. While in New York, he also traveled the world to teach pastry masterclasses in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Italy and France, as well as the United States. In 2017, he moved to Los Angeles where he began his own consulting company, providing consulting for bakeries, pastry shops and restaurants, and later on had the opportunity to work side by side with one of the best pastry chefs in the world, Amaury Guichon, in his newly opened school in Las Vegas. Chef Bacherini continued to deliver his expertise across the United States and abroad until he got the call from Valrhona to join their North America team at the beginning of 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

Bacherini’s challenging childhood and how he became interested in pastry
Attending culinary school in Florence
How he snagged his apprenticeship with a top-notch chocolatier
Moving to France to work for Olivier Bajard, M.O.F.
Working with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Landing the position of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu in NYC
His experience teaching masterclasses around the globe
How he became West Coast Pastry Chef for L’École Valrhona
A typical day at the office for Chef Bacherini
The importance of using high quality ingredients and staying “authentic”
And much more!

Didier Saba: Turning a Passion for Macarons into a Thriving Business Feb 06, 2024

Born and raised in the south of France, Didier Saba started his career as an accountant, but his love for creating French pastries eventually led to training at the famous pastry school Lenôtre. With the help of a renowned pastry chef from Lenôtre, he relocated to the United States and opened his first Le Macaron French Pastries Cafe in 2009. Didier and his family founded Le Macaron with the mission of bringing authentic macarons to the States. Educating and delighting customers about how macarons are truly “the gem of pastries” in France, the company has grown over the years through franchising with more than 70 locations nationwide. Today, Le Macaron is the #1 macaron franchise in the nation. Didier, who is the owner and CEO of Le Macaron, is often told that he has mastered the savoir faire of the macaron, which is one of the most difficult pastries to make.

lemacaron-us.com or on Instagram @lemacaronfrenchpastries

In this episode we discuss:

How Didier came to specialize in macarons
Coming to the U.S. to open a macaron shop in Florida
Achieving success in a bad economy
Adding more French products to the line
Franchising Le Macaron
Tips for making perfect macarons
Most popular macaron flavors in the U.S. vs. France
Didier’s advice for prospective pastry chefs
And much more!

Gonzo Jimenez: Perfecting the Art of All-or-Nothing in Chocolate and in Life Jan 10, 2024

Chef Gonzo Jimenez was born in Northern Argentina and raised in a Spanish household surrounded by good food and long family meals. At the age of 17, he started working in restaurants and fell in love with the culinary world. He enrolled in pastry and culinary school in Buenos Aires. After completing his studies, he traveled around the country working for five-star hotels and celebrity chefs.

From 2009 to 2013, Chef Gonzo worked for large hotels in the United States, including the St. Julien in Boulder, CO, and The Hyatt Corporation in New Orleans and New York. Most notable amongst his various accomplishments throughout this period was the launch of his personal line of chocolates, providing different hotels throughout Manhattan, NY with high-end confections.

In 2013, he moved back to South America to work at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Santiago de Chile. Soon after he accepted a highly coveted position with Barry Callebaut as a Corporate Chef for the South American Region and Director of the Chocolate Academy in Chile.

Chef Gonzo is República del Cacao’s Corporate Pastry Chef for the United States and North America. He travels North America representing the brand by teaching classes, giving demos, and providing technical assistance to all its customers. Visit Gonzo’s Instagram page at @chef.gonzo.

In this episode, we discuss:

How a young rebel got his intro to the culinary world
The moment he became hooked on the art of chocolate
Honing his skills at hotels and restaurants
Learning about chocolate on an industrial level
Opening a chocolate and pastry shop in Arizona
His current position as Corporate Pastry Chef for North America at Republica del Cacao
Running ultra-marathons as a hobby
And much more!

Philip Khoury: Raising the Bar on Plant-Based Desserts Dec 06, 2023

Philip Khoury is the award-winning Head Pastry Chef at Harrods in London and the author of the newly released book A New Way to Bake: Re-imagined Recipes for Plant-Based Cakes, Bakes and Desserts (Hardie Grant, 2023). Chef Khoury started his career at Australia’s most awarded restaurant, Quay in Sidney, before becoming Adriano Zumbo’s head of R&D, launching hundreds of patisserie lines in his native Australia. After a number of years spent realizing the food industry’s unsustainable reliance on animal exploitation, he decided to begin tackling an area he had previously thought impossible: vegan pastry. He has launched a collection of plant-based and allergen-friendly patisserie at Harrods, as well as overseeing the production of their iconic made-in-house pastries and desserts. To learn more about Philip or to purchase his book, visit philipkhoury.com.

In this episode we discuss:

Tasting a Pierre Hermé pastry and realizing he wanted to pursue a career as a pâtissier
What he learned while working at Quay, Australia’s most acclaimed restaurant
From production kitchen to R&D at Adriano Zumbo and what he learned there
How he landed his dream job at Harrods
What motivated him to become vegan and how he introduced vegan desserts at Harrods
Writing his first book and sharing a collection of approachable vegan dessert recipes
Philip’s top tip for making a whipped ganache
And much more!

Yolanda Gampp: The ‘Queen of Cakes’ and Host of YouTube’s ‘How To Cake It’ Nov 07, 2023

Affectionately known by her fans as the ‘Queen Of Cakes’, Yolanda Gampp is a self-taught cake artist with more than 24 years of experience and half a billion views on YouTube. With her quirky personality, obsession with organization and commitment to perfection, Gampp has shown the world that even the most unexpected items can be turned into cake. She entertains while she teaches, laughs at her own mistakes and is one of the most respected and celebrated celebrity cake artists in the world. She has been featured as a judge on “Crime Scene Kitchen”, “Cake Wars,” “Best Baker in America” and “Nailed It,” to name a few. She is also the author of two cake books and recently released first children’s book. Gampp is the co-founder of How To Cake It, a content commerce company inspiring a community of more than 14 million people to become better bakers through live classes, courses, and more. www.howtocakeit.com

In this episode we discuss:

The moment that Yolanda fell in love with cake
How she taught herself to craft sculpted cakes
How she launched How To Cake It on YouTube
Featured judging gigs on TV dessert competitions
Writing projects: two cake books and a children’s book
Expanding the How To Cake It brand
Yolanda’s top tip for cake decorating
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

This podcast is sponsored by The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley. Get complimentary samples of The Perfect Puree to experience flavor, first-hand, delivered directly to your business. Samples are available to food service professionals in the United States to sample the robust flavor line-up of fruit puree, concentrates, zests and blends. Visit www.perfectpuree.com/pastryarts to request your samples now.

Adam Thomas: An Untempered Approach to Pastry and Chocolate Oct 24, 2023

After over 20 years of making sweets in celebrated kitchens all over the world, Chef Adam Thomas launched his own brand, Thomas Craft Confections, in Brenham, TX. Adam began his professional journey working at a San Diego bakery at age 18 with Alsatian master baker Pascal Zindel, and it was there that he realized that confectionary arts was his calling. During a successful apprenticeship at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Adam connected with long-time mentor, Jean-Francois “Jeff” Lehuede. While still working at the Ritz-Carlton, Adam took on a second role at the St Regis Monarch Beach Resort to learn from pastry chef Stéphan Tréand, MOF. After taking the role of Head Pastry Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey, Adam was sent to help open other Ritz-Carlton hotels in Abaco Island, Bahamas, and Denver, Colorado. From there, Adam was sent to Enniskerry Ireland to assist with another opening at the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt. Then it was chocolate competitions in Cologne, Germany, and Madrid, Spain and learning chocolate science in T’Hain l’Hermitage, France and Schwyz, Switzerland. Adam went on to Executive Pastry Chef residencies at Capella Singapore, The Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, and at the longest running 5-star resort in the country, The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. It was in Colorado Adam was able to sink his teeth into the baking and pastry program and make it one of the very best in the country. Adam now owns and operates Thomas Craft Confections in Brenham, Texas.

In this episode we discuss:

How Adam got hooked on pastry
His apprenticeship under Pascal Zindel
His illustrious, global career with the Ritz-Carlton
Why he was drawn to chocolate work
The experience of chocolate competitions in Europe
Working in Singapore and appreciating desserts with less sugar and fat
Engaging with peers on the ‘Untempered’ podcast
Adam’s kitchen tips and advice for neophyte pastry cooks
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company

We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry. At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations. We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag. At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft. Visit www.Guittard.com to learn more.

Rebecca Masson: From Parisian Pastry Dreams to Houston's Sweet Success Sep 04, 2023

You may recognize Rebecca from her appearance on Top Chef: Just Desserts or the standout mention in Southern Living where her Houston-based, sweet tooth haven of a storefront, Fluff Bake Bar, was named one of the “South’s Best Bakeries.” The Wyoming native made her first “go big or go home” play back in 1999 when she secured a spot at the famed Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris, and soon after, a coveted internship at the landmark Le Bristol hotel. There, under the tutelage of Pastry Chef Gilles Marchal, she got a taste of Michelin-starred kitchens. After graduating, she worked her way through many famed New York City kitchens, eventually becoming head pastry chef at The Red Cat with Executive Chef Jimmy Bradley. After years of work in the Big Apple, Rebecca pivoted to Texas just as Houston’s culinary scene was starting to heat up. Masson accepted an invitation from Executive Chef Ryan Pera, now chef-owner of Coltivare and Revival Market, to oversee pastry for *17 Restaurant and the Sam Houston Hotel. She quickly generated a cult following in the 713, earning a nickname as the city’s “Sugar Fairy”. My Table Magazine designated her Best Pastry Chef, the first of many local honors, which led to positions with Houston-based and nationally noted chefs and restaurateurs ranging from Charles Clark to Chris Shepherd, as well as a role with HEB Central Market, before stepping out on her own with Fluff Bake Bar in 2011. Masson moved Fluff to its current, larger location in the Heights neighborhood in 2020 and her pastries and confections have received notable coverage in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Texas Monthly, Houston Chronicle, Culture Map, Saveur and TimeOut, among many others.

In this episode we discuss:

How Rebecca got hooked on pastry
Her experience attending Le Cordon Bleu
Staging at Le Bristol in Paris
Working for Daniel Boulud in NYC
Opening Fluff Bake Bar, using a commissary kitchen
Launching the brick-and-mortar Fluff Bake Bar
Rebecca’s top kitchen tips and advice for future pastry chefs
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company

We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry. At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations. We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag. At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft. Visit www.Guittard.com to learn more.

Jana Lai: Persevering and Winning at the Top Tier of the French Pastry Scene Aug 10, 2023

Jana Lai is a pint-sized pastry chef with an insatiable appetite for success. With her determination and fierce competitive spirit, Jana has fought through the competition scene, recently taking home second place at the World Pastry Cup as the first female ever to join the French team.

Hailing from Australia, Jana began her culinary journey under the guidance of notable chefs Maria Lantelme, Shaun Quade, and Pierre Roelofs. But the call (and smell) of the pastry capital of the world proved too strong to resist, and Jana followed her heart to France, where she continues to hone her craft with an unrelenting dedication to perfection.

Today, Jana serves as a pastry chef instructor at the prestigious Ecole Bellouet Conseil, under the expert mentorship of Jean-Michel Perruchon, MOF. And with her fire still burning bright and her sights set even higher, Jana shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

In this episode we discuss:

How Jana first became interested in pastry
The trip to Paris and the connections she made that changed her life
How she got a job working for Jean-Michel Peruchon at Bellouet Conseil
How she ended up on Team France, competing at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie
The rigors of training for the competition
The excitement of placing second at the Coupe
Three of Jana’s favorite pastry shops in Paris
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company

We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry. At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations. We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag. At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft. Visit www.Guittard.com to learn more.

Elaine Boddy: A Conversation with the Sourdough Whisperer Jul 17, 2023

Elaine Boddy is a sourdough baker, cookbook writer and teacher, but mostly a sourdough ‘simplifier’. The key focus of everything she does, and shares, is to show how truly simply sourdough can be made. She removes the complication and unnecessary steps, and often the fear, that can come with making sourdough. Elaine shows bakers all over the world how they can easily make their own healthy, tasty bread, week in, week out, in their home kitchens, to suit their lifestyle and timings. She has a website, Foodbod Sourdough, a YouTube channel and a new podcast, The Foodbod Pod.

Website: https://foodbodsourdough.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elaine_foodbod/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodbodsourdough

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/foodbodSourdough

In this episode we discuss:

How Elaine fell in love with baking sourdough bread
Tips on making a thriving sourdough starter and what flour to use
How Elaine developed her master sourdough recipe and why it works so well
Why she starts with a cold oven and leaves the lid on!
Her advice on using pasta and vegetable water in bread
Using hydration percentage to control the strength of the dough
Tips on making and shaping baguettes without the bother
And much more!

Nicole Patel: An Award-Winning Chocolatier Talks Shop Jun 07, 2023

In 2006, while pregnant with her first son, Chef Nicole Patel made a batch of chocolate truffles as last-minute holiday gifts. To the delight of her friends and family, truffle-making became an enjoyable pastime for Nicole that relieved the stress of her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a serendipitous trip to the Texas Wine Country led to Nicole being the first person in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Thanks to her dedication and self-taught skills, Delysia Chocolatier quickly rose to become one of the Best Chocolatiers in the Americas, as recognized by the International Chocolate Salon and Taste TV.

Nicole has most recently been named 2023’s Best Chocolatier in the Americas with the highest honor, Six Star Award: Grand Master Chocolatier, an impressive designation she has received a total of ten times. Her most recent accolades comprise over 88 awards in total, among which are 20 gold medals and 22 silver medals. Notably, she has demonstrated unmatched mastery in the Spicy Chocolate, Hot Chocolate, Ruby Chocolate, and White Chocolate competition categories.

Nicole now pairs the process efficiency skills from her Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees from Texas A&M University with unbound creativity in the kitchen to keep Delysia successfully moving forward. Nicole never could have imagined how her experience working at a Fortune 100 company as a supply chain, quality, and business process improvement expert would prime her for distributing her own products across the country.

Nicole lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Rahul and their two sons, Sébastien and Colin.

In this episode we discuss:

How Nicole made the transition from a corporate career to chocolatier
Juggling her day job with her chocolate business sideline
The construction challenges of opening a brick-and-mortar business
How she cultivates partnerships with other food artisans
The big pivot: promoting virtual chocolate tastings during the pandemic
How Nicole develops and maintains her corporate gift giving accounts
Nicole’s top tips for cleaning chocolate molds
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Kelly Nam: A Pastry Superstar Talks About Her Career Trials and Triumphs May 16, 2023

A certified pastry star, Kelly Nam is the Executive Pastry Chef and Partner at Joomak Banjum restaurant in New York City. She began her career as a pastry cook at Radius in Boston, and then went on to hone her skills at prestigious restaurants including L’Espalier in Boston and Nobu 57, Gordon Ramsay at The London Hotel, The Modern and Electric Lemon in New York City. She also served as Executive Pastry Chef at Frenchie in Paris. Last year she was named 2022 Pastry Chef of the Year by the Michelin Guide NY. Follow Kelly on Instagram at @shell.bugi or @joomakbanjum.

In this episode we discuss:

How Kelly first got interested in baking
Her work experience at top restaurants and the chefs who inspired her
How Joomak Banjum came to be
Her innovative use of savory flavors in desserts
Her thoughts on being named Michelin Guide NY Pastry Chef of the Year 2022
How she deals with the problem of finding and retaining team members
Kelly’s advice for those thinking about becoming pastry chefs
Her tips for making a perfect meringue
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Cedric Barbaret: A Top Pastry Chef and Dessert Entrepreneur Living the Dream in Amish Country Apr 03, 2023

Cedric Barbaret, owner, operator and chef of Bistro Barbaret & Bakery in Lancaster, PA, has over 25 years of professional pastry experience as well as a Master’s Degree in Pastry from Patisserie Chereau in France. His passion for pastry began at Patissrerie Barbaret, his family’s bakery near Lyon, France, where he served his apprenticeship. Chef Barberet’s experience includes a position as Executive Pastry Chef at Donald Trump’s prestigious Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. While working in Palm Beach in 2005, he spent two months creating Donald Trump’s five-foot high, seven-tier Grand Marnier chiffon wedding cake. Barberet has also worked at the Las Vegas M Resort Casino & Spa with Executive Pastry Chef Jean Claude Canestrier. In 2009, Barberet joined the prestigious team at Philadelphia’s Le Bec-Fin as the Executive Pastry Chef and most recently served as the Executive Pastry Chef for Buddakan. Follow Chef Barbaret on Instagram at @cedricbarbaret or the business at @bistrobarbaretandbakery.

In this episode we discuss:

Cedric’s pastry roots at his family’s patisserie in France
His decision to get a Master’s degree in pastry at the age of 18
How he landed in America as a young pastry chef
Designing and making Donald and Melania Trump’s wedding cake
Opening the luxury M Resort in Las Vegas: hello high volume!
His days as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia
Winning FoodNetwork’s Chopped Sweets
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Puratos

Imagine a milk-alike, plant-based chocolate that tastes great and does good. That’s what makes new Belcolade M. Plant Based Cacao-Trace Chocolate so exceptional. Our cocoa beans are carefully selected and fermented to perfection at our post-harvest centers across the globe. The result is a creamy, dairy-free chocolate like no other—and greater income for our cocoa farmers. Take your creations to the next level with Belcolade M. Plant-Based Chocolate. Great Taste, Doing Good. Learn more at https://www.puratos.us/en/chocolate/categories/real-belgian-chocolate/belcolade

Karen Krasne: A Pastry Chef and Entrepreneur Talks About Her Career of Extraordinary Desserts Mar 08, 2023

Karen Krasne is the owner and Executive Pastry Chef of Extraordinary Desserts and the author of Extraordinary Cakes: Recipes for Bold and Sophisticated Desserts, which is in its third printing. Once called the “Queen of Cakes” by Gourmet magazine, Karen brings a fresh and contemporary sensibility to special occasion cakes. What makes her cakes showstoppers are their unexpected flavor combinations and vibrant touches using fresh fruit and real flowers, which add flair without being fussy.

Karen’s cakes have graced the cover of Bon Appetit, and Forbes recognized her as one of the country’s ten best pastry chefs. Karen has been featured in The New York Times, Sunset, and The Los Angeles Times, among other national and international publications. Karen is an industry veteran having been in the industry for over 30 years. She studied pastry making at the Cordon Bleu and returns to Paris, France each year to train with the masters at LeNotre and Bellouet Conseil.

In this episode we discuss:

How Karen first became interested in pastry
Her European training
Why she decided to start her own business
Her signature items at Extraordinary Desserts
Her inspiration and process for creating new recipes
Karen’s priority of hiring and nurturing women employees
Writing her book, Extraordinary Cakes
Her thoughts on the latest pastry trends and the next generation of pastry chefs
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Brad Kintzer: A Chief Chocolate Maker Talks About His Dream Job Feb 21, 2023

Brad Kintzer is the Chief Chocolate Maker at TCHO Chocolate, based in Berkeley, California. Prior to joining TCHO, Brad was chocolate maker and product developer at U.S. bean-to-bar chocolate pioneer, Scharffen Berger, acquired by The Hershey Company in 2005. Previous to his 20 years of chocolate making, Brad studied tropical botany and environmental studies at the University of Vermont, and spent months working on cacao plantations throughout Latin America to better understand the origins of chocolate flavor. At TCHO since 2009, Brad and his team are focused on innovating in every aspect of chocolate making; from cocoa genetics, fermentation and roasting, to creating unique and tasty chocolate products for market. Brad volunteers on the board of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) and also the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP).

In this episode we discuss:

How Brad’s interest in botany became an obsession with the cacao plant
Brad’s first job at a chocolate factory
His first job as a chocolate maker at Scharffen Berger in San Francisco
Landing a job as Chief Chocolate Maker at TCHO in Berkeley, CA
How TCHO partners with cacao farmers to produce better chocolate
How TCHO transitioned to 100 percent plant-based
Brad’s favorite source for cacao beans
His thoughts about eliminating heavy metal contamination in dark chocolate
And much, much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Josh Allen: The Business of Bread Feb 06, 2023

Josh Allen is the Founder of Companion Baking. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Allen was immersed in the food and baking industry from an early age. His great-grandfather founded Allen Foods, a well-known broadline food distributor with a large customer base across the Midwest. Allen spent much of his childhood delivering groceries to various foodservice operations, cleaning the freezers and sweeping the trucks for his family’s business.

Today, Companion’s award-winning bread is served in more than 400 restaurants, grocery stores, and businesses around the Midwest and across the country. Allen credits his success to listening and nimbly adapting to his customers’ wants and needs. In addition to their baking operations, Companion has two cafes in the St. Louis area and has expanded to offer a small line of pastries.

In this episode we discuss:

What inspired Josh to become involved in artisan bread baking
How he started his first wholesale business, Companion Baking, at the age of 24
Josh’s emphasis on “listening to his customers”
How he cultivated the customized bread programs at Companion Baking
Companion Baking’s initiative to reduce waste across the board
How Companion Baking has dealt with labor shortages, supply chain issues and inflation
Josh’s top tip for measuring fermentation
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Puratos

Imagine a milk-alike, plant-based chocolate that tastes great and does good. That’s what makes new Belcolade M. Plant Based Cacao-Trace Chocolate so exceptional. The cocoa beans are carefully selected and fermented to perfection at their post-harvest centers across the globe. The result is a creamy, dairy-free chocolate like no other—and greater income for their cocoa farmers. Take your creations to the next level with Belcolade M. Plant-Based Chocolate. Great Taste, Doing Good. Learn more at https://www.puratos.us/en/chocolate/categories/real-belgian-chocolate/belcolade

Cheryl Wakerhauser: A Conversation with a Successful Pastry Entrepreneur Jan 23, 2023

Pastry chef, entrepreneur and bon vivant, Cheryl Wakerhauser, sees every day as a chance to learn something new and contribute something else. After a short-lived career studying to be an astronaut, Cheryl received a degree in pastry arts from Vancouver’s Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and then headed straight to Southern France to further train at the prestigious pâtisserie of MOF Philippe URRACA. Her eccentric dessert restaurant, Pix Pâtisserie, was born in Portland, Oregon in 2002, where adventurous guests could enjoy bold flavored sweet treats paired with a Belgian ale late into the night. Bar Vivant was added to the space in 2012, bringing a savory menu of San Sebastián inspired tapas to pair with the ever growing, award-winning beverage selection, showcasing both champagne and sherry wines. The pandemic inspired a new business model – vending. The Pix-O-Matic debuted in 2020 selling the same fine French pâtisserie that was served in the restaurant, but in a 24-hour contactless vending machine.

Her techniques, flavor combinations and whimsical design (along with a few parlor tricks!) can be discovered in her acutely instructional cookbooks, Modern French Pastry and Petite Pâtisserie, which have received accolades by France’s two most prestigious professional cooking trade journals, Thuriès Gastonomie and Le Journal du Pâtissier. She also teaches food and wine master classes, where students can learn how to make a croquembouche, perfect their macarons or explore the different styles of sherry wine.

In this episode we discuss:

How Cheryl first became interested in pastry
How she landed an internship with Phillipe Urraca, MOF
What it was like to be one of the only women in a French pastry kitchen
How she turned her dream of opening a pastry shop into reality
The careful crafting of a fun atmosphere at Pix Patisserie
Navigating the COVID pandemic and the brainstorm of the Pix-o-Matic
How she was able to write two successful cookbooks
Cheryl’s secret for making pastry cream in record time
and much more!

Episode Sponsored by

Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Maurizio Leo: Finding Joy in the Quest for the Perfect Sourdough Loaf Jan 01, 2023

Maurizio Leo is the software engineer-turned-baker behind the award-winning sourdough website, The Perfect Loaf. He grew up in an Italian household and spent summers visiting family in Italy and the back kitchen of his family's Italian restaurant, learning the importance of making food by hand. He holds a master's degree in computer science and co-created the stargazing app, SkyView, before circling back to food and discovering the craft of baking sourdough bread. Since that first loaf of bread, he's been obsessed with adjusting the balance between yeast and bacteria, tinkering with dough strength and hydration, and exploring everything sourdough. His debut cookbook, The Perfect Loaf (Clarkson Potter, 2022), is now available wherever books are sold.

In this episode we discuss:

Maurizio’s first career as a software engineer and as co-creator of the Skyview app
How he became obsessed with sourdough baking
Why he started his blog, The Perfect Loaf
Maurizio’s take on fermentation and tips for maintaining a successful sourdough starter
The importance of hydration in sourdough
Why dough temperature is a key to making a perfect loaf
What it was like to write his first book (which is over 400 pages long)
His tips on home flour milling and storing wheat berries
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Get complimentary samples of The Perfect Purée to experience flavor first-hand delivered directly to your business. Samples are available to foodservice professionals in the United States to sample the robust flavor line-up of fruit purees, concentrates, zests and blends. Visit www.perfectpuree.com/pastryarts to request your samples now.

Cynthia Samanian: How to Begin Teaching Pastry & Baking Online Dec 12, 2022

Cynthia Samanian is the founder of Culinary Creator Business School, an online business education company dedicated to the culinary industry. Her students learn how to create, sell and teach virtual cooking classes, corporate events and recorded courses that help them unlock more freedom and flexibility. Cynthia hosts the 5-star rated Culinary Creator Business School podcast. She's appeared as a guest on top industry podcasts and conferences including Eat Capture Share, Food Biz Wiz, the Food Blogger Summit and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). Growing up as a first-generation American in a Persian family, Cynthia is no stranger to the power of food to unite people across cultures. Cynthia is a graduate of Harvard Business School and currently lives in sunny Oakland, California with her husband and two young daughters. Learn about the free training for pastry and baking pros at www.teachpastryonline.com.

In this episode:

How Cynthia got started with her business school
The market opportunity for online classes, courses and events
The primary benefits of teaching online
How to achieve financial flexibility, time freedom and impact online
The 4 proven ways to make money teaching online
How to get started with teaching your very first online class
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by

The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Get complimentary samples of The Perfect Purée to experience flavor first-hand delivered directly to your business. Samples are available to foodservice professionals in the United States to sample the robust flavor line-up of fruit purees, concentrates, zests and blends. Visit www.perfectpuree.com/pastryarts to request your samples now.

Genevieve Ko: Succeeding in the World of Food Journalism Nov 16, 2022

Genevieve Ko is a deputy editor and columnist of New York Times Cooking and the Food section, for which she also writes articles and develops recipes. She came to The Times from The Los Angeles Times, where she was cooking editor. She is the author of Better Baking (HMH, 2016) and has contributed to more than 20 cookbooks, as well as other food publications. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, she now lives in New York City and cooks dishes from everywhere. Check out Genevieve’s recipes for Thanksgiving pies here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/dining/thanksgiving-pies-recipes.html

In this episode we discuss:

What initially piqued Genevieve’s interest in food and cooking
How she got a foothold in the world of food writing and recipe development
The process of collaborating with high-profile chefs on cookbooks
Writing her own book, Better Baking
How the food media landscape has changed over the past 10 years
Some of Genevieve’s favorite dessert recipes on NY Times Cooking
Genevieve’s advice for budding food writers and editors
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by Dobla - IRCA

We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit www.dobla.com.

Lasheeda Perry: A Conversation with the Queen of Flavor Nov 02, 2022

Lasheeda Perry is the pastry chef and owner of Queen of Flavor, a company that specializes in everything from revamping your dessert menu to helping you design and execute your dream dessert menu.

Lasheeda has always had a passion for culinary arts, and luckily for the sweet-tooth everywhere, this love has materialized into a successful and rewarding career. Prior to creating Queen of Flavor, she received her culinary education from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Immediately after graduation, Lasheeda secured an entry level pastry cook position at Four Seasons Resort Dallas. Within five years of beginning her career, Lasheeda would hold the title of Executive Pastry Chef at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Bon Appetit Management Company LinkedIn.

Throughout her culinary journey, Lasheeda has received numerous awards and accolades. In 2012, she won season two of Food Network Sweet Genius after proving her skills by overcoming tight time constraints, masterfully incorporating secret ingredients and accommodating larger-than-life requests. That same year, several of Lasheeda’s desserts landed on Philadelphia food critic Craig LaBan's coveted Four-Bell Finestlist. In 2018, she was a finalist on Food Network Best Baker in America, Season 2 where she was named the “Queen of Flavor”. Lasheeda is never the one to pass up a cool opportunity. Last November, she was presented with the chance to take on an iron chef, on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, and that she did! Queen of Flavor’s pastry services include, menu development, virtual baking classes, R&D development, interim pastry services, pop-ups, and more.

In this episode we discuss:

How a high school teacher jump-started Lasheeda’s path to a culinary career
Her first taste of success: winning a culinary competition and a trip to China
How C-CAP helped her land a full-tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales
Lasheeda’s first job in the pastry kitchen at the Four Season Hotel in Dallas, TX
Her first Executive Pastry Chef position at Bon Appetit Management Company at LinkedIN
Landing the position as Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Season Atlanta
How she got her first gig on the FoodNetwork and how it felt to beat Bobby Flay
Lasheeda’s best advice for those entering the industry
And much more!

And much more!

Sponsored by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company’s Professional Products Division now offers their Premium Chocolate in convenient 5lb. bags. This exceptional product portfolio includes their new non-dairy 72% and 52% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips. The full line makes it easier for operators to enjoy the benefits of baking cookies, brownies, cakes, molding truffles, filling tarts, or topping mochas. For more information and to request a free sample please visit ghirardelli.com/5lb or email professionalproducts@ghirardelli.com.

Romain Dufour: Master Baker and Problem Solver Oct 19, 2022

Romain Dufour knew from an early age that he wanted to be a baker. He was inspired by his uncle who owned his own bakery in a small town near Bourges, France and Romain worked as an apprentice there for two years. Romain attended the Ecole de Boulangerie et de Patisserie de Paris, earning two diplomas in four years. For his second diploma, Romain was hired at the renowned Plaza Athenée Hotel in Paris, under the direction of Christophe Michalak, World Champion of Pastry. In 2016, Romain arrived in Chicago with a new position as the R&D Master Baker for Eurogerm KB, a French-American company specializing in dough conditioners, bread mixes and pastry mixes. In this role, he brings together his high-end baker training, extensive production experience and innate creativity to develop new, clean label recipes for an impressive list of notable clients within the dynamic food industry.

In this episode we discuss:

Romain’s introduction to baking: trial by fire
Baking at the Plaza Athenee in Paris under Christophe Michalak
A challenge at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai
The differences among dough conditioners
What a clean label means in terms of Eurogerm dough conditioners
What a typical day is like for Romain
Romain’s top tips on making the perfect flakey croissant
And much more!

Sponsored by Taste Europe, Butter of France

French butter is churned longer to achieve 82% butter fat making it richer and creamier with a golden hue. For tips, tricks and recipes on how to use French Butter to romance the flavor of any cuisine visit www.tasteeurope.com.

Cydni Mitchell: Pricing, Marketing & Sales for Bakery & Sweet Business Owners Oct 08, 2022

Cydni N. Mitchell (aka Cyd) is a Bakery Consultant and the Sweet Business Coach behind Sweet Fest. Based in Atlanta, GA, Sweet Fest is an online company that supports the business needs of the Sweet Community in the areas of professional development, marketing, branding and web design. By trade, Cyd is an Accountant & Financial Analyst with a Masters from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the Head Instructor of the Sugar Coin Academy, an online business academy for business owners in the baking and sweets industry, and she is also the organizer of The Ultimate Sugar Show, Georgia’s Largest Annual Baking and Sweets Expo in Atlanta. She is also a Columnist for American Cake Decorating Magazine and has served as a judge on the Holiday Kids' Baking Battle on the CW.

In this episode, we discuss:

Cyd's background and how she got started in the pastry and baking industry
The challenge with pricing that many owners face
A big mindset shift in determining pricing for products
Marketing channels that are working now
How other dessert business owners are marketing products
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Get complimentary samples of The Perfect Purée to experience flavor first-hand delivered directly to your business. Samples are available to foodservice professionals in the United States to sample the robust flavor line-up of fruit purees, concentrates, zests and blends. Visit www.perfectpuree.com/pastryarts to request your samples now.

Carol Gancia: The Long and Winding Road to Becoming an Artisan Chocolatier Sep 20, 2022

Carol Gancia is the founder and head chocolatier of Kokak Chocolates, an artisanal chocolate company that specializes in small-batch single-origin heirloom chocolates in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco and ships within the continental U.S. Hailing from San Francisco, Carol Gancia is an immigrant, LGBTQ member and rising female chocolatier. Kokak, which means “ribbit” in the Filipino language, is inspired by Gancia’s Asian heritage. She spearheads the creative process in designing each chocolate’s flavors and pairs it with colorful, playful designs.

In this episode we discuss:

How tasting European chocolates as a child inspired a lifelong love of chocolate
How she embarked on a first career in video production
Her stint as a television producer for culinary shows
How she learned the techniques of crafting artisan chocolates
How Gancia launched Kokak Chocolates
Her love for Nacional cacao from Ecuador
What the LGBTQ community means to her
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit thebakingexperts.com for more insights.

Crystal Bonnet: Mastering the Art of Raw Desserts Sep 07, 2022

As a graduate of the plant-based and raw food nutrition programs at Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy and the Pure Joy Academy, Crystal Bonnet has worked hard to learn the importance of the culinary aspect and nutritional elements of living foods. “With knowledge, anything is possible!” she emphasizes, and these five words inspire and guide her to create beautiful, innovative raw food and desserts and share her knowledge with those seeking to learn more about raw food and desserts.

Her work within the plant-based culinary industry has led her on many adventures, including the development of unique plant-based menus for new restaurants. She launched her Crystal Dawn Culinary courses, easy to follow and comprehensive classes that allow Chef Crystal to share with her students so that they will have as much knowledge as necessary to understand raw foods and their health benefits. Visit her website at www.crystaldawnculinary.com, or follow her on Instagram at @crystal_dawn_culinary.

In this episode we discuss:

Crystal’s journey to a vegan and raw diet
Her tips for emulating the texture of baked cakes in raw ones
Some misconceptions that non-vegans have about vegan and raw desserts
Why Crystal started teaching the art of raw desserts
How Crystal launched her raw food culinary academy
The process of writing and photographing her first book, The Art of Raw Desserts
Crystal’s top tip for making raw desserts
How she stores her nuts, seeds and other raw ingredients
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Get complimentary samples of The Perfect Purée to experience flavor first-hand delivered directly to your business. Samples are available to foodservice professionals in the United States to sample the robust flavor line-up of fruit purees, concentrates, zests and blends. Visit www.perfectpuree.com/pastryarts to request your samples now.

Michael Laiskonis: Teaching and Inspiring a New Generation of Pastry Chefs Aug 26, 2022

Michael Laiskonis joined the Institute of Culinary Education in New York as Creative Director in 2012, fresh off of an eight-year tenure as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin. He has long been one of the industry's most creative and talented chefs, noted for helping Le Bernardin earn four stars from The New York Times and three Michelin stars. Laiskonis was also named among America's Top Ten Pastry Chefs by Pastry Art & Design in 2002 and 2003, and was Bon Appétit's Pastry Chef of the Year in 2004. Best known for his use of modern techniques to reinvent classic desserts, he was presented with the coveted James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2007. Chef Laiskonis received the IACP's 2014 Culinary Professional of the Year Award, one of the most distinguished honors in the culinary field.

In this episode you’ll learn:

What first piqued Michael’s interest in the culinary arts
What drew him from savory cuisine to pastry
How he developed his pastry style at Tribute in Detroit
How he honed his style as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin
About his role as Creative Director at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC
All about The Chocolate Lab, a unique facility for chocolate research and learning
About Michael’s thoughts on how to evaluate chocolate
What Michael sees for the future of our industry

Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit thebakingexperts.com for more insights.

Tavel Bristol-Joseph: A Pastry Chefs Journey from Guyana to "Best New Chef" Jul 21, 2022

Tavel Bristol-Joseph is the Pastry Chef and Partner at Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimotxo, Henbit, TLV and Canje in Austin, Texas. He began his culinary journey as a young boy, spending every Saturday afternoon baking cookies, cakes, and pies with his aunt. After moving to the United States from Guyana when he was 17 years old, Bristol-Joseph attended the New York Restaurant School. He then worked in a variety of restaurants in New York before moving to Tucson in 2006, where he joined Fox Restaurant Concepts. He worked within the restaurant group for two years before going to Zona 78 where he met and began working with Chef Kevin Fink. Fink and Bristol-Joseph decided to move to Austin to open Emmer & Rye in November 2015. Emmer & Rye has been included in Bon Appétit’s “America’s Best New Restaurants 2016” list, as well as named Austin American-Statesman’s“2018 Best Restaurant in Austin.” In 2020, Bristol-Joseph opened Hestia with Fink which has been named “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” by Robb Report. Bristol-Joseph also received the StarChefs Rising Star Award in 2017 and was named one of FOOD & WINE Magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 2020.” Bristol-Joseph is a proud father to teenaged twins and currently resides in Austin with his wife Brittany and his dog Gus Gus.

In this episode we discuss:

Growing up in Guyana
How Tavel got hooked on baking when he was young
Moving to New York and enrolling in the New York Restaurant School
Tavel’s work experience and meeting his future business partner
Opening Emmer & Rye in 2015, and the challenges that came along with it
Building the business, opening five more restaurants
What makes Tavel’s Basque Cheesecake so good!
How he motivates his team
Being named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s ‘Best New Chefs of 2020’
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit thebakingexperts.com for more insights.

Shaun Velez: Pastry Life at a Michelin Star Restaurant Jun 09, 2022

Born and raised in the Bronx, Pastry Chef Shaun Velez graduated from the French Culinary Institute, now known as the Institute of Culinary Education, in 2008. Following his studies, he established his career in the award-winning kitchens of Chef Daniel Boulud, where he worked closely with his mentor and James Beard Award winning pastry chef Ghaya Oliveira at both Boulud Sud and Restaurant DANIEL. Before making his way back to New York, Shaun spent some time in Boston as the Executive Pastry Chef at Deuxave, chef-owner Chris Coombs’s contemporary French restaurant. There, he brought new skills, flavors and concepts to the restaurant’s pastry program and Boston’s overall dessert scene.

In 2018, Shaun returned to the Daniel Boulud family, this time as the Executive Pastry Chef at Café Boulud. Two years later, Chef Daniel tapped Shaun for the Executive Pastry Chef position at his acclaimed restaurant DANIEL. As Pastry Chef at DANIEL, Shaun continues to hone his craft by employing innovative techniques to transform classic desserts into modern creations, working on stunning constructions with the very best ingredients he can find.

In this episode we discuss:

How Shaun first became interested in the culinary world
His experience of attending culinary school, and the opportunities it provided
Shaun’s first experience working at in one of Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurants
His first Executive Pastry Chef position at Deuxave in Boston
How he landed his dream job at Restaurant DANIEL
His signature style and some of the desserts on his current menu
What direction he thinks modern pastry in the U.S. will go
His views on work-life balance
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit thebakingexperts.com for more insights.

Dee Frances: Lessons in Baking Science from a Cookbook Author, Obsessive Baker & Blogger May 04, 2022

Dee Frances is the voice and creator behind the baking blog One Sarcastic Baker, where she shares sweet baking recipes and different information about baking and baking science.

Working in retail bakeries and years of exploring and learning has given Dee the experience and knowledge to dive deep into the world of baking science and write her new book, Baking Science (April, 2022, Page Street Publishing), where she talks about the importance of science in the baking process and how we can use it to better our craft.

In this episode we discuss:

How Dee became obsessed with baking
What motivated her to start a baking blog
The dirty details of food blogging
The role of eggs in baking
A unique method for stabilizing whipped cream
When to use butter vs. oil in baking
The importance of acid in baking
Why freezing is a type of baking
Dee’s tip for pre-heating an oven in record time
And much more!

Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit thebakingexperts.com for more insights.

Luis Amado: From Churros Cart to Chocolate Academy Mar 30, 2022

Chef Amado began his foray into the culinary world at the age of 16, selling churros in the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico. As a young man he made the move to the U.S. to pursue an education in culinary arts. In 1992 he graduated from Grand Rapids Community College, and not long after, traveled to Belgium where he worked to develop his knowledge of classical European pastry and chocolate.

He returned to U.S. in 1994 and worked in a variety of positions at private country clubs and fine dining restaurants throughout California, Indiana and Michigan. Since 2016 he has been directing the Baking and Pastry Arts Program at Lake Michigan College, where he develops curriculum, teaches classes and coaches students for national and international competitions. He owns the Luis Amado Chocolate Academy in Stevensville, Michigan, where he offers personalized and small group chocolate classes to students from around the globe. His work has been featured in numerous magazines including The ACF National Culinary Review, Revista Dulcypass and So Good Magazine.

Chef Amado is very passionate about competitions and has captured more than 22 gold medals and 6 best-of-shows awards from competitions including the 1996 Culinary Olympics in Berlin, The 2000 National Dessert Competition, numerous ACF-approved Culinary Arts Salons, The Great Lakes Regional 1999-2003, and most recently the 2017 AUI Chocolate Cup in Washington, D.C.

In this episode we discuss:

Luis’s entré into the world of food as the owner of a churro cart
How a customer helped him enroll in culinary school in the U.S.
Luis’s passion for culinary competitions
How the student became a teacher
His style and process for developing new chocolates
His tips on working with chocolate
Advice for future chocolatiers
Why he decided to open the Luis Amado Chocolate Academy
And much, much more!

Jimmy Griffin: The Career of a Sixth-Generation Master Baker Feb 25, 2022

Jimmy Griffin is a sixth-generation master baker from Galway Ireland. He has forty years' experience in the bakery industry, growing up in the family business. He is a specialist in viennoiserie, sourdough, bread and cake production. He holds a Master's degree in Food Product Development and Culinary Innovation and lectures to honors degree bakery students at the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, Technological University, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. He also works as an advisor and consultant to industry. In 2016, Jimmy was appointed as president of the Jury at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris. He regularly lectures and teaches overseas and has been involved with baking and competitions in most continents of the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

Being a sixth-generation master baker
Why he chose baking as a profession
Describing lamination techniques
His process of making the perfect croissant
Why croissants are challenging for some professionals
The differences in flours in relation to specific pastry products
Yeast considerations for laminated doughs
The bicolor croissant inception
Croissant trends today
How competitions influenced his career path
Self publishing his book
And much more!

Matthew James Duffy: From Professional Chef to Sourdough Expert Jan 27, 2022

Known as “Sourdough Duffy”, Chef Matthew James Duffy is a sourdough expert and teacher with an impressive resume. He spent over a decade working as a professionally trained chef in the some of the world’s finest kitchens, including a time at Relais & Chateaux property Langdon Hall in Ontario, Restaurant Noma in Copenhagan, as well as five years working with Chef Daniel Boulud at Café Boulud NYC and as Sous-Chef opening Café Boulud Toronto. But even as he toiled in these restaurant kitchens, Duffy was always thinking about sourdough, and how to improve the bread offerings at each restaurant. He eventually left the restaurant kitchen to pursue this passion for baking by working with well-known bakers around the world, reading a library full of bread books, and embarking on a never-ending journey of learning the craft of sourdough baking. On this quest he worked with King Arthur Flour’s bread master, Jeffrey Hamelman, and attended classes at the San Francisco Baking Institute and the French Pastry School in Chicago. He has represented Canada twice at the world Slow Food Conference in Turin, Italy, and is currently Professor and Program Coordinator at Centennial College’s Pastry Arts Management Program in Toronto. Visit his website at www.matthewjamesduffy.com.

Highlights of this episode include:

What made Matt embark on a culinary career
What drew Matt to sourdough baking
His strategy for learning as much as he could about sourdough bread baking
Matt’s tips on using fresh milled flour
What Matt has learned about making panettone
Matt’s tips on making a high-hydration sourdough
Tips for incorporating discard into recipes
Matt’s goals for his upcoming bread book
And much more!

Richard Hawke: Delving into Vegan and Allergen-Free Baking & Pastry Dec 08, 2021

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Richard Hawke discovered his love for pastry during an apprenticeship with a French pastry chef in his home city. Inspired by this experience, he traveled to Lyon, where he landed a job with Jérôme Langillier (Champion du Monde de Pâtisserie, 2009). Hawke continued to hone his pastry skills at various pâtisseries in the region, then took a position teaching at l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie, the school founded by Yves Thuries and Alain Ducasse, where he deepened his knowledge in all aspects of his profession.

Today, Richard teaches master classes at the finest pastry schools around the globe and works as a consultant for international clients. He specializes in allergen-free baking, and has just released his first book, ADAPT: A Unique Pastry Concept (ICEP Publishing, 2021), which features a collection of Hawke’s recipes, each presented in three different versions: gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free. Ingredients include both gram amounts and percentages to enable readers to understand and adapt the recipes easier. The book is written in English and French, and includes beautiful photographs of his elegant desserts. For more info, visit www.richardhawkepastry.com.

In this episode we discuss:

How Richard went from delivering pastry to making it
Landing a job in Lyon with a World Pastry Champion
Teaching at L’Ecole Nationale Superieure de la Patisserie
How he came to specialize in vegan and allergen-free pastry
The concept of his new book, Adapt: A Unique Pastry Concept
Basic rules for converting recipes to gluten-free
Can vegan dessert recipes be as good as classic ones?
And much more!

Plus, find out more about the Pastry Arts Virtual Summit at www.pastrysummit.com.

Zoë François: The Life of a Multi-Talented Pastry Chef Nov 04, 2021

Zoë François studied art at the University of Vermont while also founding a cookie company as a way to earn extra money. She then traveled throughout Europe, tasting pastries along the way, and later studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Since then she has been a pastry chef at several Twin Cities restaurants and has worked repeatedly with Andrew Zimmern. Together with Jeff Hertzberg she wrote the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which turned into a bestselling series. She created the Zoë Bakes website in order to share her passion for pastry. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, Graham, and two sons, her best creations yet!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

What Zoë learned about food growing up on a commune in Vermont
About her experience opening her first business, selling cookies
About her big break – being hired as a pastry assistant by Andrew Zimmern
How she met and began a cookbook collaboration with Dr. Jeff Hertzberg
All about her latest solo book, Zoë Bakes Cakes
Some of Zoë’s tips for making beautiful desserts
How she landed her own show on the Magnolia Network
And much, much more!

Bill Yosses: A Conversation with Former White House Pastry Chef and Now CNO of One World Kitchen Oct 02, 2021

From January 2007 to July 2014, Bill Yosses held the prestigious title of the White House Executive Pastry Chef. As Pastry Chef of the White House, he was closely involved with Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move initiative with the goal of reducing childhood health problems related to diet. While there, he conducted bi-weekly tours of the White House vegetable garden for school groups.

In a related project, he has given lectures for the “Science and Cooking Course” in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.

The New York City Department of Education has hired his non-profit “Kitchen Garden Laboratory” to give seminars at their STEM INSTITUTE, on the art of cooking to teach science in the classroom for middle-schoolers.

His most recent book is entitled, The Sweet Spot: Tamping Down Sugar and Amping up Flavor (Pam Krauss Books, 2017).

Yosses earned his A.A.S. degree at New York City College of Technology, a Master of Arts at Rutgers University in French Language and a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toledo.

In this episode we discuss:

Bill’s first cooking job at a restaurant in Paris
Working with top chefs such as Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and David Bouley
How he landed the job as Executive Pastry Chef of The White House
How he planned the menus for State dinners
His involvement with Michele Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ initiative
Opening The Perfect Pie and Palais by The Perfect Pie in NYC
His current role as Chief Nourishment Officer of the Eugene Gasana Foundation ONE WORLD KITCHEN
And much, much more!

Fran Costigan: A Life of Vegan Desserts Jul 19, 2021

Fran Costigan, chef, cookbook author, and Director of Vegan Baking and Pastry at the Rouxbe Online Culinary School, is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Professionally trained, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 25 years ago. Her unapologetically luscious confections lack nothing — except dairy, eggs, white sugar, and cholesterol. Fran’s vegan desserts are appropriate for everyone who loves dessert, whether or not dietary restrictions are an issue. The 90-day Essential Vegan Desserts Course that Fran developed and leads at Rouxbe, the world’s leading online cooking school, is based on her wildly popular Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. She is thrilled to welcome students of all skill levels, beginners to professionals, from around the globe to this unique in the world course.

Fran’s cookbook, Vegan Chocolate Dessert: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts, is available in German, French, and Italian editions and follows the classic More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts. For more information and recipes, newsletter sign up, visit www.francostigan.com.

In this episode, we discuss:

Fran’s career journey to becoming an expert in vegan baking and desserts
Her scientific approach to developing vegan recipes
Fran’s recommendations for egg substitutes
How to determine which butter substitute to use for different recipes
How Fran uses aquafaba
Fran’s opinion of soy-based products
What she thinks the next big trends in vegan desserts will be
And much more!

Bianca Bakery: Navigating Operations Post COVID & Beyond Apr 30, 2021

Gianni Vietina is the co-owner and Executive Chef at Bianca, an Italian, Argentinian and French restaurant with bakery in Culver City. Most of Gianni’s earliest memories are of times he spent immersed in hospitality. Gianni’s parents are restaurateurs, so instead of going home after school, he headed to the restaurants in Forte dei Marmi, Tuscany, to cook and help out. In the 1980’s Gianni’s family moved to Los Angeles, where his father opened celebrity acclaimed Madeo Ristorante in Beverly Hills. Gianni’s work at Madeo and his other restaurant ventures around the world (including Saudi Arabia, Italy and the US) is complemented by his passion for wine. He earned his status as a Certified Sommelier (Gold Pin) and taught at the Italian Sommelier Association and the North American Sommelier Association. In 2019 Gianni and his brother, Nicola, partnered with Federico Fernandez to open Bianca, named after their beloved grandmother. As the Executive Chef, Gianni’s menu is an intersection of international flavors inspired by his childhood, his family and the multicultural influences of Los Angeles.

Federico Fernandez is the co-owner and Executive Pastry Chef at Bianca. As a child, Federico kindled his passion for baking with his mother in Argentina. He went on to study culinary arts at the International Buenos Aires Hotel & Restaurant School. Thereafter, Federico embarked on his career in the US, including New York’s famed BiCE. Federico worked at hotels including the Intercontinental, Hyatt, Marriott, and then the Four Seasons, where he spent 20-plus years lending his expertise in Uruguay, Argentina, Canada and across the United States. Federico departed his post as the Executive Pastry Chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles to open his own venture, Bianca, with his business partner, Gianni Vietina. At Bianca, Federico embraces the freedom of creativity by recreating classic recipes from his childhood and adding seasonal twists, while taking inspiration from his surroundings and his family. Federico has been a guest on several TV shows such as Taste Show, The Today Show and Iron Chef.

In this episode we discuss:

The background of Executive Chef Gianni Vietina – born to be a restaurateur
The background of Executive Pastry Chef Federico Fernandez – a career working in luxury hotels
Opening Bianca restaurant – success!
The arrival of COVID-19 and its challenges
Focusing on a diversified business plan and pivoting to delivery
The importance of cultivating a loyal customer base and catering to their needs
And much more!

Rose Levy Beranbaum: Cookbook Publishing, Ingredients, Tips & More Mar 18, 2021

Known as the ‘Diva of Desserts’, Rose Levy Beranbaum is the author of eleven cookbooks, including her best-selling book The Cake Bible (1988), which was inducted into the International Association of Culinary Professionals Culinary Classics. Her next book, The Cookie Bible, will be published in November of 2021. A luminary in the world of food writing, Rose was a Contributing Editor for over a decade to Food Arts Magazine where "Rose's Sugar Bible" (April 2000) received two prestigious awards: The Association of Food Journalists Award for the Best Food Feature in a Magazine and The Jacob's Creek World Food Award for Best Food Article. She is also a contributor to Food52, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Fine Cooking, Bride's, Reader's Digest, and Hemispheres. Rose has been inducted into the James Beard Foundation/D'Artagnon Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.

In this episode we discuss:

How Rose got hooked on baking

How she got her first cookbook published

Why she made the monumental decision to include weight amounts in her books

When to use unbleached vs. bleached flour

How she developed her meticulous recipe writing style

Rose’s process of writing a cookbook, from idea to finished book

Her position on freshly milled flours, farm-fresh eggs and European-style butter

Rose’s baking pet peeves

And much, much more!

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This episode is sponsored by

Curate a complimentary custom sample pack at https://perfectpuree.com/pastryarts

*Offer is complimentary for professional chefs and bakers only.

Tish Boyle: The Process of Publishing Cookbooks Feb 05, 2021

Tish Boyle is an editor, food writer and cookbook author with expertise in baking, desserts and chocolate. A graduate of Smith College and La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, Tish has held a variety of positions in the food world, including chef on a luxury barge traveling the canals of France, pastry chef, caterer, food stylist and recipe developer.

Tish has written several dessert and baking books including Chocolate Passion (Wiley, 2000), Diner Desserts (Chronicle Books, 2000), The Good Cookie (HMH, 2002), The Cake Book (HMH, 2006) and Flavorful (HMH, 2015). Co-writing credits include Payard Desserts (HMH, 2013) and the Grand Finales series of books. Currently she is the Managing Editor of Pastry Arts Magazine (pastryartsmag.com), host of the Pastry Arts Podcast, and co-founder of pastryathome.com.

In this episode, hosted by Shawn Wenner, President and Editor-in-Chief of Pastry Arts magazine, we discuss:

How Tish got into the pastry business
How she got her first cookbook published
Cookbook writing – is it right for you?
What goes into a cookbook proposal
Two routes: traditional vs. self publishing
Funding your book via crowd sourcing site
Reflecting on career choices in the pastry business
And much more!

Ed and Natasha Tatton: On Going Vegan & Operating a Vegan Bakery Dec 15, 2020

Originally from Kent, England, Ed Tatton has worked in fine dining kitchens around the world and has been making sourdough since 2008. Ed and his wife Natasha moved to Canada in 2013 to snowboard for a season, and both worked in hospitality, Ed working at farm-to-table restaurant Alta Bistro in Whistler, BC. While taking some shoulder-season leave and working on Vancouver Island farms in the summer of 2014, Ed started a sourdough culture that he took with him back to Alta Bistro and implemented a bread program for the restaurant.

In 2016, Ed rented the bistro’s kitchen once a week to make bread for his friends, who subsequently told their friends, and before long demand had increased to a point where Ed had outgrown the equipment. That’s when Ed and Natasha decided to open BReD, a 100% plant-based organic sourdough bread shop in Creekside, Whistler. As committed vegans, it was important for Ed and Natasha to bring that into their business. BReD sells loaves for pick-up in-store and a selection of vegan baked goods.

In this episode we discuss:

Why Ed and Natasha decided to go vegan
Their decision to open their own vegan bakery in Whistler
Ed’s process of recipe development and his tips for creating top-level vegan baked goods
Ed and Natasha’s commitment to sustainability and how that is reflected at BReD
Ed secret for making vegan brownies with a crackly top
Ed’s tip on lamination and his quest to create the best vegan croissant
And much more!

Elisa Strauss: From Cake Artist to Owner, Author, Consultant & Teacher Nov 18, 2020

Elisa Strauss founded Confetti Cakes in 2000. She is a graduate of Vassar College and The Institute of Culinary Education, where she received a degree in pastry and baking arts. Elisa also spent one semester studying at the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to culinary school, she worked as a designer for Ralph Lauren. In fact, it was a cake she made for Ralph (in the shape of a Bugatti, his favorite sports car) and the heaps of praise it received from fashion industry notables that inspired her to bring her design talents to the kitchen full-time. Her creations have appeared on the Today show (one of her cakes was selected as the winner of the “Today Throws a Wedding” series), Sex and the City (she made Charlotte and Harry’s wedding cake during Season Six), The View and Martha. Elisa has also been featured on The View, and has appeared over ten times on the Food Network, including the “Extreme Cake Challenge” where she won the grand prize. Confetti Cakes has also been featured in InStyle, Martha Stewart Weddings, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Elle, Vogue, Modern Bride, New York, BRIDES, Elegant Bride, and The Knot. And in 2008 was selected as one of America’s Top Ten Pastry Chef’s in Pastry Art and Design.

Elisa’s first book, The Confetti Cakes Cookbook: Spectacular Cookies, Cakes and Cupcakes from New York City’s Famed Bakery, was released in Spring 2007 and is in its sixth printing, while her second book entitled Confetti Cakes for Kids was released in the Fall of 2008.

In 2010, Elisa stopped making cakes for clients to focus her business on online tutorials, teaching, product design and special consulting projects. She’s busier than ever working with manufacturers, culinary schools, and television producers. In addition to her work in the kitchen she is an active board member and supporter of Icing Smiles, an organization that provides critically ill children with custom cakes. She also serves on the advisory council at The Institute of Culinary Education.

In this episode we discuss:

How Elisa got hooked on baking as a child
Elisa’s career in fashion, working for Ralph Lauren and Frédéric Fekkai
Her experience designing and making Ralph Lauren’s 60th birthday cake
The challenges of running a cake business
Elisa’s tips and advice for those just entering the cake and pastry business
Her most challenging cake project
Her shift from making cakes for clients to teaching and consulting
And much more!

David Vidal: From Savory to Pastry, Competitions, Master Classes & Finding Balance Oct 25, 2020

David Vidal was born in Canada, but moved to Malta with this family at the age of 12. His uncle owned a pastry shop there, and the young David worked at the shop after school during the week. He decided to go to culinary school in Malta at the Institute of Tourism Studies and later set out to become a savory chef. His education led him to London where he honed his skills cooking in hotels and restaurants throughout Europe. He and his wife decided to move to his wife’s hometown on the west coast of Sweden, Strömstad, where he became chef at a harborside restaurant at the age of 25. He eventually moved to the Laholmen Hotel in Strömstad, where he currently works as Sous Chef. About five years ago, Vidal began doing pastry again, and posting some of his work on Instagram. The posts of his desserts were so inspirational, that Vidal’s following increased exponentially – today he has over 400,000 followers. Follow him there at @Vidal31.

In this episode we discuss:

David’s first job in the pastry business
Attending culinary school and honing his skills in Europe
His decision to become a savory chef
Competing with the Culinary Team for West of Sweden at the World Cup 2018
His gradual return to pastry
How he became an Instagram sensation
Teaching Master Classes in pastry around the world
How he balances his work with his home life
And much more!

Dana Herbert: A Talk with “The King of Cakes” Sep 22, 2020

Known as "The Sugar Daddy" and "King of Cakes," Dana Herbert is the Executive Pastry Chef and owner of Desserts by Dana in Newark, Delaware. Chef Dana began his culinary career when he received a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Delaware. He then went on to complete a second Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and an additional Associates of Arts in Pastry. His first professional cooking job was at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, working the savory side. But he longed to move to pastry, and he got his opportunity soon after, becoming the In-House Pastry Chef for the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott. In 2011 Chef Dana became well known after he won the first season of TLC’s Cake Boss: Next Great Baker. Chef Dana has appeared on countless television programs and has created cakes for some of the world’s biggest names, including Oprah Winfrey, Ice Cube and Jill Biden. For more info, visit www.dessertsbydana.com.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How Chef Dana’s love of pastry was nurtured as a child
How he has dealt with the Covid-19 crisis
What it was like to compete and win on Cake Boss: Next Great Baker
The biggest challenge of starting his own business
The most popular trends in celebration cakes
Chef Dana’s biggest career regret
His best advice for those just starting their pastry careers
And much more!

Caroline Schiff: Gage & Tollner’s Pastry Chef Aug 19, 2020

Widely known under the moniker @pastryschiff, Caroline is a celebrated pastry chef and culinary consultant based in Brooklyn. She got her start in the restaurant industry a decade ago cooking at The Good Fork, and worked her way up through a number of acclaimed restaurants and bakeries including Mas (la Grillade), Maysville NYC, Kenton's NOLA, and Greene Grape Provisions before coming full circle to work with Sohui and Ben once again as Gage & Tollner’s Pastry Chef. Heralded as one of the “Most Badass Female Chefs in New York” by Thrillist, Caroline has been featured on Beat Bobby Flay, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appétit, Chopped, VICE Munchies and The Untitled Action Bronson Show. Caroline’s signature gravity-defying hairdo is outsized only by her enormous heart; in her spare time you can find her either supporting charitable causes or running a marathon.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How an out-of-control sweet tooth and a year in France convinced Caroline to pursue a career as a pastry chef
How she turned an internship into a full-time job cooking on the line
How she came by the moniker of being one of the “Most Badass Female Chefs in New York”
How she landed the coveted position of Pastry Chef at the highly anticipated Gage & Tollner restaurant in Brooklyn, and what her plans are for the dessert menu
About her involvement with Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in New York, and the importance of giving back to the community
How she deals with the stress of working long days in the kitchen
And much more!

Karim Bourgi: Creativity, Inspiration, Garnishes & More Aug 04, 2020

Born in Senegal of Lebanese parents, Karim Bourgi moved to Paris at the age of 16. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Paris in 2001, he began his career in Beirut at La Cigale, followed by Laduree Paris Champs Élysée, Makyan Traiteur, Goû Beirut, and Fauchon Paris in Dubai. Currently, he is the head pastry chef of Al Mana Group, and the regional development and creation chef for La Maison du Chocolat Paris. He believes that excellence is achieved by virtue of persistence and surrendering to true passion in pastry.

In this episode we discuss:

Chef Bourgi’s pastry training
His creative process
Where he gets his inspiration for new desserts
His philosophy on garnishes
Key considerations for designing dessert décor
Thoughts on the Covid-19 crisis
And more!

Get your free 4-day pass to the Pastry Summit at www.pastrysummit.com!

Jenny McCoy: From Chicago’s Top Restaurants to Cookbooks & Canelés Jul 02, 2020

After attending the Baking and Pastry Program at Chicago’s Kendall College, Jenny McCoy landed positions in a variety of Chicago’s top restaurants, including Charlie Trotter’s, Blackbird, Gordon and Bittersweet Bakery. It was in these kitchens where Jenny learned to refine her palate and develop her talent for composing seasonal desserts.

Following her formative experiences in fine dining, Jenny took a brief hiatus from professional baking to travel and complete a BA in Food Writing at DePaul University. When Jenny returned to the pastry kitchen, she oversaw three restaurant pastry departments for Emeril Lagasse, as well as contribute weekly to the Cooking Blog at Emerils.com. While working at Emeril's Delmonico, Jenny was a nominee for the PastryScoop.com Best Dessert Menu Award in 2006. It wasn’t long, however, before she felt the pull of New York City’s vibrant culinary scene.

In New York, she headed the pastry departments of top restaurant including Marc Forgione, A Voce and Tom Colicchio’s Craft, which earned three stars from The New York Times during her tenure. Jenny was also a pastry instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York from 2010 to 1018, and is the author of Desserts for Every Season (Rizzoli, 2013) and Modern Eclairs (HMH, 2016). Jenny’s newest venture is Recette, a bakery that sells handmade pastries such as French canelés at farmers’ markets and occasional pop-ups in Chicago.

In this episode you’ll learn about:

How Jenny got hooked on pastry and baking
Her experiences working in some of Chicago’s top restaurants
Her hiatus from pastry when she traveled to broaden her culinary horizons
Running the pastry departments of three Emeril Lagasse restaurants in NOLA
Moving to NYC and earning three stars from the NY Times at Craft
How she co-founded Cissé Trading Company, a line of hot cocoa and baking mixes
Her experience writing two dessert cookbooks
All about Recette, her latest baking adventure
And much more!

Christopher Curtin: The Journey of a Master Chocolatier May 19, 2020

Chris Curtin’s journey to the top of the chocolate world started more than three decades ago, in Madison, Wisconsin, where, following his success as a nationally ranked cross-country skier, he found his next challenge in the kitchen. He enrolled at the renowned New England Culinary Institute in Vermont, but soon left to forge an even more rigorous path of independent study—he was accepted to live as a pâtissier at the Compagnons du Devoir, the premier guild for artisan craftsmen in France, and subsequently became the first American to earn the title of Konditormeister, or Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier, in Cologne, Germany.

Immersed in the realm of the world’s top chocolate makers, Chris continued honing his knowledge under some of the world’s great chocolate makers in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Japan—legendary producers like Confiserie Bachmann in Switzerland, Confiserie Coppeneur in Germany, Herman Van Dender and Pierre Marcolini in Belgium, and Poire in Japan—where he had the privilege of sharing in confectionery’s greatest secrets and techniques.

Having mastered the art and techniques of Europe’s finest chocolates, he returned to the U.S. in 2004 and founded Éclat Chocolate, where his craftsmanship rivals that of the Old World’s most storied houses.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

His jump from cross-country skiing to culinary
Why he left culinary school to train in Europe
The inspiration for opening his chocolate business
Collaborations with celebrity chefs and chocolate colleagues
Chris’s favorite piece of equipment in his shop
Differences between European and American chocolatiers
The chocolate trend Chris wants gone
And much, much more!

Robert Wemischner: The Fundamentals of Pastry Techniques Mar 11, 2020

Food writer, pastry chef and culinary educator, Robert Wemischner has always been intrigued by the flavor potential of ingredients, from turmeric to tea and from cumin to coffee. The author of four books, including The Dessert Architect (a book for professionals and serious amateurs alike about how to craft sensational multicomponent desserts), Wemischner began his career to great media acclaim in the food business in the early 70’s as the owner of a pioneering gourmet-to-go shop in Beverly Hills.

He then went on to open a similar operation in Baltimore, and in the early 90’s, returned to LA and began teaching pastry and culinary arts in earnest. Drawing upon his exposure to classical cooking at a young age through informal apprenticeships to chefs in France, he has been imparting his knowledge to a diverse audience of students as a teacher of baking and pastry for the past 30 years at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

He also does presentations on cooking with tea, baking, pastry and other food-related topics to professional organizations, and at tea festivals and conferences including the World Tea Expo and the LA International Tea Festival, among others.

He has been a regular contributor to Pastry Arts Magazine, Pastry Chef and National Culinary Review magazines. He also writes a regular column for a preeminent tea blog Tching (tching.com), about the culinary uses of tea.

In this episode:

How the young Robert got into some of the best kitchens in France to learn cooking
His time owning and operating a gourmet to-go shop in Beverly Hills and Baltimore
How he transitioned into teaching and food writing
How to develop a balanced restaurant dessert menu that makes sense
The importance of using baker’s math in recipes
Robert’s tip for making perfect Italian meringue
Robert’s tips on making and piping pate a choux
And lots more tips on techniques, including lamination, macarons and cakes!

Charity George: The Sugar Sorceress behind Netflix’s Nailed It! Feb 11, 2020

Chef Charity George – known as The Sugar Sorceress – is a pastry chef and cake artist in San Diego, CA. She specializes in chocolate and sugar art, with particular regard for wedding cakes, as well as specialty and extreme cakes. She has also specialized in baking and cooking for those with food allergies and sensitivities. Charity owns d’Zrt Cake Studio in La Mesa, CA.

Charity is also on the Board of Directors for Icing Smiles, a non-profit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child.

Charity is the “secret chef” on the extremely popular Netflix show Nailed It! – she’s the pro who creates all of the cakes that the competitors then have to replicate. Charity has also been a judge at numerous cake shows and contests, and has taught sugar arts across the country to sold out workshops.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

How Chef Charity got hooked on baking as a child
Why she left a prestigious culinary school in Paris after three months
Where she learned the skills necessary to create ‘extreme’ decorated cakes
How she landed on her first tv show
How she became the ‘secret chef’ behind the cake creations on Netflix’s Nailed It!
Her involvement with Icing Smiles, an organization that brings cakes to the families of critically ill children
The time she had to act as a secret service agent to protect one of her cakes
And much more!

Florian Bellanger: From Fauchon to Food Network & Mastering Maracons Jan 21, 2020

Florian Bellanger is a pastry chef and co-owner of Mad Mac Macarons, "the Authentic French Macarons and Madeleines." Mad Mac serves the retail, food service, and hospitality industries, and has been recognized as a leader in quality and innovation in the macaron industry.

Before starting his own company, Bellanger was the Executive Pastry Chef at Fauchon, and oversaw 24 other pastry chefs at its Tea Salon flagship store in New York City. Chef Bellanger was named one of the 10 Best Pastry Chefs in America in 2003 and 2004 by Pastry Art & Design magazine. In 2000 and 2001, the James Beard Foundation acclaimed Bellanger's accomplishments with a nomination for "Outstanding Pastry Chef." He has been featured on many networks, including CNN, NBC, Food Network, and Martha Stewart Living, and served as a judge on the Food Network’s competition series Cupcake Wars. Chef Bellanger will also be a judge on the upcoming show Buddy vs. Duff, also on the Food Network.

Bellanger is a member of City Harvest's Food Council, and spends his free time donating to charities such as C-CAP Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, CCAP, the Wolfgang Puck Charity and the Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation.

In this episode you’ll learn about:

How Chef Bellanger landed the job that every other pastry chef wanted
His experience as opening Pastry Chef at Fauchon in Qatar
His first opportunity in the U.S. – Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin
Opening the Fauchon flagship store in NYC
Becoming an entrepreneur: finding his niche and opening Mad Mac
How he became a Food Network star along the way
And much, much more!

Lauren V. Haas: From the White House to Teaching the Next Gen of Pastry Pros Dec 21, 2019

Lauren V. Haas is an Associate Professor for the International Baking and Pastry Institute at Johnson & Wales University. In addition to her role at Johnson & Wales, Lauren works with John E. Koerner & Co. as the U.S.A. technical advisor for 100% Chef and TouFoods, and is a member of the prestigious Cacao Barry Ambassador's Club.

Prior to joining the faculty at Johnson & Wales University, Lauren honed her pastry skills at some of the country’s most esteemed establishments, including the residence at the White House, Albert Uster Imports, the Hotel du Pont, and the Inn at Little Washington.

Lauren’s interest in sustainability led her to pursue a master’s in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College, and she also holds a bachelor of science in Baking & Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including So Good: The Magazine of Haute Pâtisserie, American Cake Decorating, and Pastry Chef. In 2016, Dessert Professional Magazine named Lauren one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America.

Well versed in the foundations of classical pastry and emerging techniques and trends, Lauren’s passion is educating students and pastry professionals in the art and science of pastry. For more information, visit www.laurenvhaas.com.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

How Lauren landed her first job in pastry
Her first Executive Pastry Chef position: making high-end, Indian inspired desserts
Making desserts for foreign dignitaries at The Blair House in Washington, D.C.
Working as a consulting pastry chef at The White House
Focusing on chocolate work at Co Co Sala in D.C.
Her position as Corporate Assistant Pastry Chef at Albert Uster Imports
Switching gears: becoming an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University
And much more!

Nathaniel Reid: The Path to Becoming a Dessert Entrepreneur Dec 05, 2019

Nathaniel Reid is the chef and owner of Nathaniel Reid Bakery in Kirkwood, Missouri. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris with a Grand Diploma in Culinary and Pastry Arts, Chef Reid worked in top pastry kitchens around the world, including Michelin 3-star restaurant, Joël Robuchon, in Las Vegas and the AAA Five Diamond St. Regis hotel in California.

In August 2016, his longtime dream to own his pastry shop became a reality with the opening of Nathaniel Reid Bakery. With his namesake brand, Reid takes thoughtful consideration into every detail of the guest experience. Each guest is greeted with a friendly, professional welcome as they are guided through his carefully curated menu of pastries and confections. From the twelve flavors of macarons to the spellbinding specialty cakes to the perfectly executed croissants and French pastries, each offering showcases Reid’s care for quality ingredients and expert technique. He built his bakery to be a place for the community and, in just a short amount of time, it has become just that – a community bakery led by a man with a superior talent and an even bigger heart.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Why Nathaniel switched his studies from biology to pastry
His decision to move to Paris to attend Le Cordon Bleu
Overcoming a setback, when a promised job in NYC didn’t materialize
Working on the opening pastry team at Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas
His first gig as an Executive Pastry Chef at the St. Regis Monarch Beach
His position at Norman Love Confections in FL
Nathaniel’s tip for making perfect pâte à choux
And much more!

Joanne Chang: James Beard Award Winning Baker Recalls Her Entire Career Nov 11, 2019

A graduate of Harvard College with a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics, Joanne Chang left a career as a management consultant to enter the world of professional cooking. She is the chef and co-owner of Flour Bakery + Café, with eight locations in the Boston area, and Myers + Chang. She is the 2016 winner of the James Beard award for Outstanding Baker and the author of four acclaimed cookbooks, including her newest, Pastry Love (HMH, 2019).

In this episode, you’ll discover:

What prompted Joanne to leave a career as a management consultant to work in a kitchen
How she landed her first restaurant job at Biba in Boston
Getting a foundation in pastry at Bentonwood Bakery
Working on the opening team at Payard Patisserie in NYC for a year
Becoming pastry chef at Mistral in Boston
How she came to open her first Flour Bakery + Cafe
Her new book, Pastry Love, and which recipes you absolutely, positively need to make
And lots more!

Kriss Harvey: Life of an Award-Winning Chocolatier Oct 26, 2019

Named one of America’s Top 10 Pastry Chefs in 2017, Chef Kriss Harvey has worked in the pastry departments of some of the country’s finest establishments, including The Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C., NoMi in the Park Hyatt Chicago and at Bartolotta Ristorante Di Mare at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. Before coming to andSons Chocolatiers, Kriss was the Executive Pastry Chef at The Bazaar by José Andrés at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Kriss trained under some of the world’s most highly regarded chefs. He began his career in the U.S. at the famed Cacao Barry Chocolate Academy near Philadelphia, spending time under the tutelage of Master Chocolatier Pascal Janvier. With a desire to fine-tune his knowledge in French pastry, Kriss moved to Paris where he studied with legendary pastry chefs Christophe Felder at the Hôtel de Crillon and MOF Emmanuel Ryon of École Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil. He staged under Spanish pastry chef Oriol Balaguer. He also studied with MOF chocolatier and candy maker Pierre Mirgalet. As a testament to his devotion to chocolate, Kriss has the chemical formula for theobromine tattooed on his right arm.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

How Kriss got hooked on pastry
His time in Europe, and what he learned from some pastry greats
Landing a job with Chef Jose Andres
Making the move to andSons Chocolatiers
Kriss’s best chocolate tip
His best piece of advice for aspiring pastry chefs
The story of his tattoos
And lots more!

This episode is sponsored by:

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/

Marina Sousa: The Story of an Extraordinary Cake Designer Oct 08, 2019

Marina Sousa is owner, pastry chef and designer of Just Cake, located in the Monterey Bay area of California. Just Cake opened in January 2003, and since that time Marina has quickly earned recognition for her impeccable style and the unmatched quality of her cakes. Her work has been featured in several national magazines including InStyle, Brides, Modern Bride, The Knot, Today’s Bride, GO Wedding Style and People. Brides magazine featured her as one of the country’s top 50 sugar artists, and she was named on the "Top Ten Cake Designers" list by Desert Professional Magazine. Marina is often seen on Food Network where she has repeatedly clinched first place finishes on Food Network Challenge, and has even served as a judge on the show. She also impressively battled to the end of Food Network-Last Cake Standing series. Marina was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show: Biggest Stars of Reality TV episode, building a jaw dropping eleven foot tall hanging chandelier cake confection. One of her favorite appearances was on Fantasy Weddings where she had the honor of making the wedding cake for her friend and Food Network star, Keegan Gerhard. She’s also enjoyed the privilege of designing cakes for high-profile celebrities and celebrity events including wedding cakes for Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston and Raquel Welch. She regularly creates cakes for Clint Eastwood’s resort properties in Carmel and his private country club Tehama. She also made a sweet 16 cake for actress and singer Miley Cyrus during one of her wins on Food Network Challenge. When she’s not in her kitchen, Marina is traveling the world teaching others her craft at prestigious institutions including The Culinary Institute of America, The Notter School of Pastry Arts and The French Pastry School in Chicago. She’s also designed her own line of sugar bead and button molds called Marina’s Molds. The sugar beads are her original designs, and the first of their kind in the sugar arts world bringing edible bling to a whole new level.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Her first career in theatrical design
Getting hooked on cake decorating at her first job
How she started her own business, Just Cake
Winning big on the Food Network Challenges
The time she made a cake for Oprah and presented it on her show
Her online classes on BluPrint
How to deal with clients successfully
Inherent challenges of the cake decorating profession
And way more!

This episode is sponsored by:

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/

Clarice Lam: International Model Turned Decorated Pastry Chef Sep 25, 2019

After more than 10 years as an international model, Chef Clarice Lam stepped off the runway and into New York City’s best kitchens donning chef’s whites.

Using her access to the world’s hotspots as a stepping-stone, she pursued her education at Le Cordon Bleu in Italy and The French Culinary Institute in New York. Her travels through food and fashion capitals like Paris, London, New York City, and Los Angeles inspire her baking to this day.

With experience at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market, she honed the skills to thrive in her second career. In 2012, Clarice launched The Baking Bean, an oven-to-door bakery specializing in all-natural desserts and confections based in Brooklyn, NY.

Focusing on seasonality and using only the highest-quality ingredients from around the world, Chef Lam provides one-of-a-kind pastries and desserts, including Giant S’mores, Samoan Caramel Popcorn, Salted Caramel Rice Krispy Brownies, Strawberry Nutella Cookies, and much more.

With original and pure flavor combinations that The New York Times calls “high-quality and handsome,” The Baking Bean can be found year-round in local pop-up markets and in various NYC restaurants, museums, and stores.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

How Clarice nurtured her love of pastry while working as an international model
The accident that threatened to derail her baking career
How she overcame adversity by sheer determination and grit
Building a foundation for her second career at Le Cordon Bleu and the French Culinary Institute
Honing her skills at top restaurants and bakeries
Working as Head Chef at The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn
How Clarice made the gradual transition from part-time entrepreneur to a full-time business owner
And lots more!

This episode is sponsored by:

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/foodservice/domestic-foodservice/pourable-cream-cheese.html

Jacquy Pfeiffer: A Discussion with a Pastry Icon Sep 11, 2019

Chef Pfeiffer’s exceptional career began with an apprenticeship in Alsace at the famous Jean Clauss Pâtisserie. Following his apprenticeship in Strasbourg, Pfeiffer went on to establish himself as a leading figure in the art of pastry working with some world-renowned families and establishments. Some of these include: the Royal Family in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; the Sultan of Brunei; the Hyatt Regency, Hong Kong; a prestigious pastry shop in Palo Alto, California; and both the Fairmont and Sheraton hotels in Chicago, Illinois. These experiences led Chef Pfeiffer to teach and consult for some of the most prominent properties and companies worldwide, such as the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas, and the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

In 1995, Pfeiffer, along with Sébastien Canonne, M.O.F., founded The French Pastry School, which is considered one of the leading pastry and baking institutions in the world. He is the author of the James Beard Award-winning cookbook, The Art of French Pastry, and has received numerous awards, including the French Legion of Honour Award, the highest honor awarded in France and the equivalent of knighthood.

In this episode we discuss:

Surviving an apprenticeship at an Alsatian patisserie
Working as the Executive Pastry Chef for the Sultan of Brunei
New challenges: working in the U.S.
Starting the French Pastry School in Chicago
Winning silver with Team USA at the Coupe du Monde 1997
A new challenge: Going for the MOF in Lyon
Star role: being the subject of the documentary ‘The Kings of Pastry’
Writing The Art of French Pastry, winner of a James Beard cookbook award
And much more!

This episode is sponsored by:

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/foodservice/domestic-foodservice/pourable-cream-cheese.html

Aggie Chin: From Litigation Clerk to Pastry Chef & James Beard Semifinalist Aug 19, 2019

In this episode, we connect with Pastry Chef Aggie Chin from Slanted Door Restaurant Group. A native of Washington, D.C., Aggie Chin intended to pursue a career in law, but her passion for food led her to embrace a culinary path. Prior to joining the Slanted Door Restaurant Group in 2019, Chin honed her skills at fine dining restaurants in Washington such as Cleveland Park’s esteemed Palena Restaurant, Georgetown’s Rosewood Hotel, and most recently, the French-focused Mirabelle Restaurant.

Chin’s deep understanding of pastries has earned her numerous prestigious accolades, including recognition as the 2015 Pastry Chef of the Year from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, as well as a 2016 and 2018 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef.

In this episode we discuss:

From Litigation Clerk to Line Cook
Pursuing her passion for pastry
First pastry chef position at Palena in Washington, D.C.
Her long partnership with former White House Executive Chef Frank Ruta
Being named James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2016 and 2018
What she did to overcome a serious career setback and move forward
And much more!

This episode is sponsored by:

PreGel America: A B2B developer and distributor of high quality, semi-finished dessert ingredients with state-of-the-art International Training Centers in Charlotte, NC; Los Angeles, CA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Chicago, IL; and Dallas, TX. The PreGel 5-Star Pastry Series®, lectured by world-class pastry chefs, provides superior instruction in specialized pastry arts. Find out more at: https://www.pregeltraining.com/

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/foodservice/domestic-foodservice/pourable-cream-cheese.html

Scott Green: From Pastry Shops to Team USA, Plating Tips & More! Aug 05, 2019

In this episode, we connect with Pastry Chef Scott Green. Originally a fine art student in Chicago, until a chance night found him watching a documentary of a pastry competition that inspired him to pursue the craft of cooking. As a pastry professional of 15+ years, Green created Devil’s Food Kitchen to document his life as a chef in digital form – the embodiment of how he works, plays, thinks and creates.

In this episode we discuss:

Changing gears from fine art to pastry
From small pastry shops to running the pastry department at a 400-room resort
Teaching at the French Pastry School in Chicago
Being a member of Team USA & winning Bronze at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in 2015
Inside tips for creating a winning plated dessert
Creating and maintaining his popular Devil’s Food Kitchen blog

This episode is sponsored by:

PreGel America: A B2B developer and distributor of high quality, semi-finished dessert ingredients with state-of-the-art International Training Centers in Charlotte, NC; Los Angeles, CA; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Chicago, IL; and Dallas, TX. The PreGel 5-Star Pastry Series®, lectured by world-class pastry chefs, provides superior instruction in specialized pastry arts. Find out more at: https://www.pregeltraining.com/

Savencia Cheese USA: Creator of the revolutionary new Smithfield Pourable Cream Cheese. Created for chefs, by chefs, the pourable cream cheese eliminates the need to heat, bring to room temperature or paddle and is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or fillers and whips beautifully to save you time. It’s time to rethink cream cheese. Find out more at: https://savenciafoodserviceusa.com/foodservice/domestic-foodservice/pourable-cream-cheese.html

Daniel Skurnick: Executive Pastry Chef of Buddakan & Le CouCou in NYC Jul 15, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Executive Pastry Chef Daniel Skurnick. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Daniel Skurnick spent a year in Thailand, living with a migratory hunter-gatherer tribe and learning their culture and cooking techniques. Once back in the U.S., he worked in the pastry departments at Gramercy Tavern, Bouley, and Jean-Georges in New York City and was executive pastry chef for both Morimoto NYC and Morimoto Waikiki. Today Skurnick serves as the Executive Pastry Chef of Buddakan and Le CouCou restaurants in New York.

In the episode we discuss:

From living with a migratory tribe in Thailand to a career in pastry
Learning from Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern
Working with Johnny Iuzzini at Jean-Georges and Nougatine
Mastering Asian desserts with the Iron Chef at Morimoto
Juggling high-volume Asian inspired desserts at Buddakan with French fine dining at Le CouCou
Giving the commencement address at CIA
And much more!

Meg Galus: Moving Through the Ranks, Collecting Awards & Staying Humble Jul 01, 2019

Meg Galus graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in Theater Arts. With an affinity for sweets and a passion for creativity, Meg decided to continue her education in the culinary arts and graduated from the French Pastry School in Chicago in 2005.

Meg joined Boka Restaurant Group in January of 2015, overseeing the pastry programs of Boka, Momotaro, and Swift and Sons. In 2015 and 2017 she was a James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef finalist, was awarded Chicago Tribune Pastry Chef of the Year in 2016 and won the Jean Banchet Pastry Chef of the Year in 2017. Chef Meg was a James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef finalist in 2018. Prior to joining Boka Restaurant Group, Meg was an international semifinalist in the Valrhona C3 competition and placed first in the Chicago Restaurant Pastry Competition.

Today, Meg serves as the Executive Pastry Chef for Boka and Somerset.

In the episode we discuss:

From theater major to enrollment at the French Pastry School
Getting hired at Tru restaurant in Chicago
Becoming Executive Pastry Chef at Boka and Somerset
Collecting prestigious pastry awards
What’s next for Meg Galus
And more!

Miro Uskokovic: The Rise to Executive Pastry Chef, His Evolution of Style & Thoughts on Sugar Alternatives Jun 15, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Miro Uskokovic, the Executive Pastry Chef of Gramercy Tavern. Born and raised in Serbia, Chef Miro attended hospitality college, worked at a bakery in Indiana, then graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2010. He completed his externship in the savory kitchen at Wallsé, Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s flagship restaurant, where he met Jean Georges Pastry Chef Johnny Iuzzini, who trained him and eventually brought him to Jean Georges as Pastry Cook.

He moved up to Pastry Sous Chef, then Pastry Chef at Aldea, Chef George Mendes’ Flatiron restaurant, before landing at Gramercy Tavern in 2013. He was also the Opening Pastry Chef of Untitled from 2015 to 2017. Chef Miro’s contemporary American desserts are created out of a collection of personal memories and experiences, as well as international influence.

In the episode we discuss:

Growing up on a farm in Yugoslavia during the war years
Coming to the US and learning to cook
Working at a small American bakery
Studying at the Culinary Institute of America
Working at Wallsé and Jean-Georges in NYC
Becoming Executive Pastry Chef at Gramercy Tavern
The evolution of his dessert style
Exploring sugar alternatives
Plus, Miro’s advice to novice pastry chefs

Jen Yee: Switching Careers, Working Her Way Up & Loving Every Second May 31, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Jen Yee, an award-winning and James Beard recognized pastry chef. Yee serves as Executive Pastry Chef for the notable Linton Hopkins and his hospitality group, Resurgens, with a focus on his flagship, Restaurant Eugene. She walks us through her career and recalls the moments that shaped her professionally.

In the episode we discuss:

Her path from architect to pastry chef
First job at Gordon Ramsey’s in London (and did she get yelled at?)
Working at a trendy Chinese tea salon in London
First pastry chef gig opening Charlie Palmer’s Aureole in NYC
SHO in NYC: what it was like working in a Michelin 2-star restaurant
Opening Andrew Carmelini’s Lafayette restaurant and bakery
Her process of developing desserts and being inspired by new ingredients
How she manages to maintain a personal life/work balance
And lots more!

Jason Licker: Career Highlights, Lessons Learned & His Book "Lickerland" May 12, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Pastry Chef Jason Licker as he walks through his career step-by-step and recalls the moments that shaped him professionally. Plus, the story behind his James Beard nominated book, Lickerland: Asian-Accented Desserts, and the process he followed for self-publishing.

In the episode we discuss:

Getting hired at the world renown Jean Georges Restaurant
Becoming a Pastry Chef at Metrazur for Charlie Palmer by 23
The once in a lifetime opportunity to move to China
His Iron Chef Show appearance - and hilarious story
Why he published his book Lickerland
The process he followed for self-publishing
And more!

Emily Luchetti: Her Career Highlights, Ingredient Usage, Pastry Trends & More Apr 26, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Emily Luchetti, Chief Pastry Officer of Big Night Restaurant Group. Over the last few decades, Emily helped to define what great pastry in America means.

After working the line at New York restaurants and Jeremiah Tower’s legendary Stars in San Francisco, she switched to the sweet side of the kitchen and didn’t look back. She has authored many books on the subject of pastry, appeared on numerous television programs, and has been awarded of such honors as the 2001 Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Whisk Award, the 2003 Food Arts Magazine Silver Spoon Award, the 2004 James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Pastry, and she was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America.

In the episode we discuss:

How Emily started working as a line cook
The time she spent in Gérard Pangaud’s kitchen
Reflecting on working with Jeremiah Tower at the legendary Stars
Emily's thoughts on men and women in the kitchen - both savory and pastry
The evolution of her style
Where she draws inspiration for new dishes
Using fruit purees and the benefits relating to consistency
Emily's thoughts on savoring ingredients in desserts
The process of writing multiple books

This episode is sponsored by The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley

Curate a complimentary custom sample pack at perfectpuree.com/pastryarts

*Offer is complimentary for professional chefs and bakers only.

Ron Ben-Israel: Pastry Genius & Cake Savant Discusses Career Evolution & Gives Professional Advice Apr 05, 2019

In this episode, we talk with Ron Ben-Israel, pastry genius, and owner of one of the finest couture cake studios of our times - Ron Ben-Israel Cakes. His trendsetting cakes have been featured in countless books, TV shows, films, publications, and in many of New York’s premier hotels and venues. Plus, Ron has been the host and judge of the Food Network’s hit show Sweet Genius for three seasons, a show that has since been syndicated around the world, as well as a judge for three seasons on the FN’s Cake Wars as well as several holiday specials.

In the episode we discuss:

Ron's accidental start in the cake business
The mentor who inspired him & lessons learned
His career evolution & rise in his popularity
Working with clients & how he deals with difficult ones
Transporting elaborate cakes long distances
Ron's preference for icing & his new favorite cake color
Thoughts on cooking shows & their direction
A trend in baking he'd like to see go away
Much more!

For more information visit pastryartsmag.com/podcast

Intro to Pastry Arts Magazine Podcast & Host Tish Boyle Apr 01, 2019

In this short episode, we introduce you to Pastry Arts Magazine's new podcast and host Tish Boyle. We share Tish's background and her hand in evolving media for pastry and baking professionals and give some insight into the schedule and guests that will join us on our new podcast.

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