What were your favorite desserts growing up?
I didn't really grow up in a strong gastronomic environment, so my early tastes weren't very sophisticated: candy bars, cookies, ice cream. I probably didn't realize it at the time, but I do think I enjoyed those things that involved some sort of preparation and personal customizing (toasting marshmallows for s'mores, things like that). Perhaps an early indicator of my future career!


When did you decide you wanted to be a pastry chef?
In reality, I fell into the business quite by accident! In my early twenties, I had taken a job in a bakery while on break from my studies at art school, and eventually I got sucked in; all of a sudden, I couldn't imagine doing anything else! Fifteen years later, I still have that same passion.

Where and when did your cooking career begin?
When I decided to leave school in Detroit, I traveled around the country for several months, before eventually finding my way back home; of course, I was broke, and I needed a job! A roommate's brother ran a small bakery/catering outfit in the suburbs, so I figured that was just something I could get by doing in the short-term. From there in the mid-90s, I worked around the Detroit area for several years before moving to NYC in 2004.

If you didn't become a pastry chef, what would you be?
I imagine if I were to have stuck to my art and design training, my career path would have followed suit, perhaps toward photography, which I still love! I find there are very close similarities between pastry and photography: precision, an eye for detail and little bit of science. All of these are balanced by the art that lies within the frame, or plate, as it were.

Who/what has shaped your baking the most over the years?
Not having pursued formal culinary training, nor having worked under any prominent pastry chefs, I've had to seek out all of my mentors. For sure, all of the chefs I've worked alongside have been a tremendous influence, right up to the present with Eric Ripert. I've always looked out into the industry at large to find inspiration, and chefs to aspire to; iconic figures such as Pierre Herme, certainly, or people who've helped me out directly, like Norman Love and many others.

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
Offset spatula: This little guy is always in my back pocket, literally. Seeing as I spend so much time moving some delicate object from one place to another, this tool is rightfully at the top of the list.

Surgical tweezers: I've only been using these for the last year or two, but they've become indispensable while plating desserts when ultra-precision is necessary.

Digital scale: I guess we wouldn't get much work done without our scales: one for all-purpose measurement, and a second for very small quantities, down to a tenth of a gram. Consistency, not mention whether a recipe will work at all, depends on accuracy!

Laptop computer: In an effort to cut down on all those scraps of paper scribbled with ideas and formulas- indeed, paper recipes altogether- I've begun to keep my computer within arm's length, even in the kitchen. Not only are all of my recipes and reference materials a mere click away, so too is perhaps the most efficient research tool, the internet.

Digital camera: It seems as if everyone is posting images of their work on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. But I find documenting one's works-in-progress helpful in the creative process itself. So too does it make the consulting work I do much easier; in the time it takes to collect a few recipes and a step-by-step photo tutorial in to an email, I can implement a new dessert in another restaurant— down the street or across the country.

What is your favorite secret ingredient?
Salt, as a finishing element, is a great way to express punctuation in context of dessert. Lemon and other acids also play an interesting role in breaking up the monotony of a dessert when used in small doses. Perhaps my favorite ingredient of the moment is roasted white chocolate. Made by gently browning white chocolate in the oven, it produces an amazingly complex, dulce de leche-like flavor that I keep finding new uses for!

What are some recent dessert trends that you have noticed?
Truth be told, sometimes I feel like I'm in a bubble of sorts, oblivious to what the real trends are! In general, I think pastry chefs continue to follow the lead of their savory counterparts in sourcing really high quality ingredients and pushing flavor to the forefront. I also think we're seeing nostalgic dessert references, even in fine dining, but without the sometimes tongue-in-cheek irony. In general, we continue to innovate at fast clip, whether with new techniques, flavors or presentations.

What was the most challenging dessert you had to make? Why?
This just might be the most challenging question I've ever been asked! There have certainly been several occasions where I've been under pressure to prepare desserts either for very important people or under very difficult circumstances, but I don't know that I ever had any grand failures (though perhaps that's selective memory!). One such challenge is actually coming up within the next few months: a croquembouche-style wedding cake for 450 guests, complete with nougatine and sugar work. If that weren't enough, it will need to be transported out-of-state and able to withstand mid-summer heat and humidity. Wish me luck!

What is your least favorite food?
Funny thing, I was a very picky eater as a kid! Obviously, I've grown out of it, and it was a conscious decision at one point that as a chef it was my job to try anything and everything. Since then, there isn't much I won't eat, though there are a few things I don't gravitate towards...cabbage is one. Doesn't matter what form it takes, it just never did it for me!

What are some recent dining and culinary trends you have been observing?
I can appreciate both ends of a seemingly disparate spectrum: both the simpler artisanal "locavore" and seasonal approach, as well as the exploration of new ingredients and cooking techniques. Even more exciting is when the two intersect!

When you are not eating at your own restaurant, where are you eating?
To be honest, at home! It's true, I cook at home almost every night after work; it's a different kind of cooking of course, less "work" and more fun, and it can even be therapeutic. However, I do try to get out on rare nights off. Some recent favorites: Aldea, Corton, Eleven Madison Park, and if I'm out in Brooklyn, Roberta's.

Which foreign country inspires your style most?
Of course, so much of what we do as pastry chefs is informed by the French tradition. I still look to Europe— France, Spain, Italy and elsewhere— but also to Asia. I've long been fascinated by the flavors and aesthetics of Japanese cuisine. And in recent years, I've discovered southeast Asia (notably Thailand) where a strong tradition of sweet street food offers a ton of inspiration.

What was the most spectacular meal or dessert you have ever had?
That's difficult to say; not only have I been lucky to have enjoyed many memorable meals, but sometimes there is more to a great dining experience than just the food— location, company, atmosphere and mood. It's so difficult to pick just one from a pool of memorable meals: everything from simple street food in Bangkok to 3-star meals in Europe.

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Especially when it comes to baking and pastry work, I would encourage all cooks to ditch those measuring cups and spoons for inexpensive digital scales— measuring by weight will always be more accurate and efficient than doing so by volume. After that, reading through recipes at least twice before starting, and maintaining a clean and organized work space will always reduce the chance for error. But most of all, cooking should be an enjoyable experience— have fun!

What do you eat when you are home?
Our long hours mean we cook at home almost six nights a week. I rarely do dessert at home, but rather just simple, easy dishes: braises, soups, pastas. I find this sort of cooking (especially for family) as therapeutic and relaxing, and not at all like work!