Every chef has taken a job that they weren’t ready for. It is almost part of the script. Finding out that you’re not ready is just part of the deal as you prepare to be a chef. I think it is especially true for pastry chefs. Talented pastry cooks always want it faster than the……...
Collection
The Lesson About Transformation
I hope that I live long enough to fulfill all of my ambitions. It is driven by my desire to travel everywhere and eat the regional foods that intrigue me the most. And after I taste them, my mission is to recreate them and if possible, make them better. Henri Le Roux from Quiberon, is……...
The Lesson in Praline Part 2
As a chocolatier, I am a big believer in making as much as I possibly can. While making the chocolate to supply my business isn’t economically feasible (at this point), I envy the chefs that get to work with an investment that lets them do that. However, that is reserved for the select few. Alain……...
The Lesson in Transition
I don’t have a ton of fond memories from my childhood. The ones that I do have are centered around food. Unlike Anthony Bourdain, my family didn’t have money to take me and my siblings on a cruise to France. That is where he discovered his love of food digging into oysters, velvety soups and……...
The Lesson in Parfait Part 1
Frozen desserts will always be my favorite desserts. I am not just talking about ice cream and sorbet. I love granita too; they are simple to make and they are so refreshing. I wish Americans had a taste for granita. I don’t mean the stuff from the slushy machine that you see at poolside bars……...
The Lesson in Flavor
I understand why people think maple syrup is a fall flavor; it is delicious pairing with other fall flavors. It is amazing with roasted hard squashes made into puree or soup and I have worked with chefs that have used it to glaze pork, duckling and even scallops. It is a spring harvest though but……...
The Lesson in Making It Better
It has always been an obsession of pastry chefs and chocolatiers to make the better versions of items that we grew up eating. Maybe it was something that a relative made or a traditional cultural food that needs to be made for the mainstream. Other times, it is an inspiration from a commercially made food……...
The Lesson in my New Favorite Bonbon
I love the challenge of packing a lot of flavor in a dessert that weighs only 10 grams. Okay, maybe a bonbon isn’t a dessert but it is one of life’s sweet little pleasures. That is the burden of a chocolatier; being able to deliver a ton of flavor in something so small. I found……...
The Lesson About Listening to Other Chefs
I am super picky about my ingredients. I will never apologize for being snobby about ingredients. For me, everything counts. Having good recipes, using good techniques and using great ingredients is a strong foundation for a great career as a chef. Surrounding yourself with strong purveyors is extremely important. I had a chef friend many……...
The Lesson in Inventory
When you run a chocolate business, one of the keys to success is maintaining your inventory. This means leveraging your money correctly. But that can be risky. If mismanaged, this is the number one thing that can sink any business. You have to put a lot of money into packaging and all of it is……...