2016 Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

Alex Grunert

Brooklyn Fare Manhattan, NY, NY

Chocolate - Vanilla Truffle, White Soy Caramel 

with Caramelized Cacao Nibs and Brown Butter

On Monday, June 6th, ten of the finest pastry chefs in America were honored at the 23rd annual Dessert Professional Magazine Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America at Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City. 

The event was presented by Guittard Chocolate, KitchenAid, Beurremont, Prova Gourmet, agrimontana. Pastry 1, and Sasa-Demarle. The Great Purple Cupcake Project is the benefiting charity of the 2016 Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America event. 

The 2016 winners will be featured in the August/September 2016 issue of Dessert Professional Magazine. Guests sampled the decadent desserts prepared by the top ten pastry chefs:

Cedric Barberet - Bistro Barberet, Lancaster, PA

Morand Dare - New York Hilton Midtown, NY, NY

Joseph DiPaolo Jr. - Pinnacle Foods, Parsippany, NJ

Kelly Fields - Besh Restaurant Group & Co-Owner Willa Jean, New Orleans, LA

Scott Green - The Langham Hotel, Chicago, IL

Alex Grunert - Brooklyn Fare Manhattan, NY, NY

Lauren V. Haas - Int'l Institute of Baking and Pastry Arts, Johnson & Wales University, 

Providence, RI

Frank Iglesias - Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT

Robert Nieto - Kendall-Jackson Winery, Santa Rosa, CA

Jean-Marc Viallet - Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA

2016 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Biagio Settepani - Pasticceria Bruno, Staten Island, NY

Frank Iglesias

Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, CT

Strawberry Rhubarb Push Pop, Spring Globe, Irish Cream Pop Rocks Choux, 

Hazelnut Banana Yuzu Cream

Lauren V. Haas

Int'l Institute of Baking and Pastry Arts, Johnson & Wales University, 

Providence, RI

Kumquat and Yogurt-Cassis 

  

Bergamot, Coconut, Lime and Milk Chocolate

Milk Chocolate

Kelly Fields

Besh Restaurant Group & Co-Owner Willa Jean, New Orleans, LA

Cornbread Pudding Bourbon Blackberry Peaches and Buttermilk Sherbet

Morand Dare

New York Hilton Midtown, NY, NY

Strawberry Blossom - Strawberry Yuzu & Green Tea

Robert Nieto

Kendall-Jackson Winery, Santa Rosa, CA

Blueberry Mousse with mango Passion Fruit Sorbet 

with Dehydrated Dulcey Mousse Verjus Gel and Jasmine Cream

Joseph DiPaolo Jr.

Pinnacle Foods, Parsippany, NJ

Duncan Hines Brownie Peanut Butter Delight, Raspberry Sour Cherry Marmalade

Cedric Barberet

Bistro Barberet, Lancaster, PA

BLACK. Flourless Chocolate Cake, Blackberry Tea, Dark Chocolate Mousse, 

Gianduja Violet Center and Blackberry Macaron

Jean-Marc Viallet

Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, CA

Disneyland 60th Anniversary Hat

- Kim Weling

22nd Annual Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

Flourless chocolate cake, peanut butter mousse and caramel cake

On June 1, 2015,  Dessert Professional magazine honored the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America for 2015 at La. Venue at 608 West 28th Street.  Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America was presented by Guittard Chocolate, KitchenAid, Beurremont, and Nielsen-Massey.  The awards event recognizes the top toques of tuile, cocoa, and sugar for their talent and unique culinary vision, with the 2015 winners featured in the upcoming August issue of Dessert Professional. 

Attendees indulged in an evening of desserts created by the 2015 Top Ten honorees:

LISA BAILEY - D Bar, Denver, CO & San Diego, CA

MICHELLE GAYER - Salty Tart, Minneapolis, MN

JIMMY LECLERC - Laduree USA

SALVATORE MARTONE - Atelier Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas, NV

MAURA METHENY - Norman Love Confections, Ft. Myers, FL

THOMAS RAQUEL - Le Bernardin, New York, NY

THIAGO SILVA - EMM Group

MIROSLAV USKOKOVIC - Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY

WILLIAM WERNER - Craftsman & Wolves, San Francisco, CA

ZAC YOUNG - David Burke Group

2015 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Sebastien Cannone, M.O.F

Co-Founder

The French Pastry School, Chicago, IL

MAURA METHENY - Norman Love Confections, Ft. Myers, FL

Black forest cherry cake in a white chocolate mushroom

SALVATORE MARTONE - Atelier Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas, NV

WILLIAM WERNER - Craftsman & Wolves, San Francisco, CA

Blueberry, hazelnut and earl grey

Coffee, yuzu, and coconut

ZAC YOUNG - David Burke Group

Maple bourbon glazed doughnut with candied bacon

THOMAS RAQUEL - Le Bernardin, New York, NY

Strawberry crumble made with liquid nitrogen

THIAGO SILVA - EMM Group

Passion fruit chocolate mousse in a chocolate shell

JIMMY LECLERC - Laduree USA

LISA BAILEY - D Bar, Denver, CO & San Diego, CA

Peaches and cream buttermilk panna cotta 

with honey rosemary pecan crumble

Pink Serbians with strawberry milk and strawberry liquor

MIROSLAV USKOKOVIC - Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY

- Kim Weling

21st Annual Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

On Monday, June 2, 2014, the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) hosted the 21st annual Dessert Professional magazine Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America event, presented by Guittard Chocolate, KitchenAid, Beurremont, and Nielsen-Massey. The awards recognized the top toques of tuile, cocoa, and sugar for their talent and unique culinary vision. The 2014 winners will be featured in the August issue of Dessert Professional.

Guests enjoyed specialty cocktails and moved from kitchen to kitchen to sample and indulge in the chefs’ signature desserts.

The specialty-crafted cocktails included:

“Cocoa Butter On My Heart” - Lynnette Marrero of Drinks At6 paired Beurremont Butter with Zacapa Rum

 “Tangerine Dreams” - Clinton Terry of The Nautilus on Nantucket included Nielsen-Massey Orange Blossom Water in his Macchu Pisco cocktail

“The Catskills Castaway” - Ryan Kahl of Bootlegger 21 Vodka featured Guittard Chocolate Ribbons on his Bootlegger 21 Vodka cocktail

Matthew Stevens, editor of Dessert Professional magazine emceed the awards ceremony. He presented this year’s Hall of Fame Honoree, Richard Grausman, Founder & Chairman of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and also announced the inaugural Dessert Professional C-CAP Scholarship, commemorating C-CAP’s upcoming twenty-fifth anniversary and Grausman’s work transforming lives through the culinary arts. The scholarship will be awarded annually (starting in 2015) to an exceptional C-CAP student and can be applied to any pastry and baking program at ICE.

This year’s Top Ten Pastry Chefs selected from around the entire country and signature desserts are:

Georges Berger, MOF, Owner, Chocolate Fashion, Miami, FL

Pistachio Brittle & White Peach Mousse with Griotte Macarpone Sorbet

Ebow Dadzie, Pastry Chef, NY Marriott Marquis, New York, NY and

Pastry Instructor, Monroe College, New Rochelle, NY

Coconut Lime Dacquoise with Mango Olive Jelly, Coconut Mousse, Mango Pineapple Compote, and Banana Lime Sorbet

Della Gossett, Executive Pastry Chef, Spago, Los Angeles, CA

White Chocolate “Crottin” with Surinam Cherry Preserve

Katzie Guy-Hamilton, F&B Director and Corporate Pastry Chef, 
Max Brenner Worldwide 

"Suntory" – Chocolate Torte with Toasted Matcha, Pistachio Gelato, Coconut and Cherries

Cher Harris, Executive Pastry Chef, The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, PA

Mandarin ‘n Chocolate Hazelnut Sponge, Ginger Caramel Macaroon, Smoked Hazelnut Crumble, and Mandarin Foam

Joshua Johnson, Executive Pastry Chef, Vanille Patisserie, Chicago, IL

Sur del Lago Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Cremeux, Cherry Compote and Chocolate Pound Cake

Ghaya Oliveira, Executive Pastry Chef, Restaurant Daniel, New York, NY

“The Cherry Tart” – Rosemary Sour Cherry Compote, Chocolate Financier, and Tainori Bavaroise

Derek Poirier, Ecole du Grand Chocolate Pastry Chef Western USA, Valrhona USA

“To The Five Boroughs” – Hazelnuts, Pralines, Opalys, Bahibe and Coffee

Rudi Weider, Master Pastry Chef, 
Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego, CA

Chocolate Espresso Crème Brûlée with Bourbon Vanilla Gelato and Salted Coffee Caramel Sauce

Jennifer Yee, Executive Pastry Chef, Lafayette, New York, NY

Assorted Mini Eclairs

Check out my interviews with Ebow Dadzie of NY Marriot Marquis, Cher Harris of The Hotel Hershey, Jennifer Yee of Lafayette and Georges Berger of Chocolate Fashion

- Kim Weling