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 Un...
Jul 02, 2020•52 min
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 s...
May 19, 2020•40 min
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 Hill...
Mar 11, 2020•38 min
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 an...
Feb 11, 2020•40 min
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 i...
Jan 21, 2020•1 hr 1 min
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, includ...
Dec 21, 2019•33 min
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 bra...
Dec 05, 2019•32 min
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 prompte...
Nov 11, 2019•34 min
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 regar...
Oct 26, 2019•43 min
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 sh...
Oct 08, 2019•37 min
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 J...
Sep 25, 2019•26 min
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...
Sep 11, 2019•36 min
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’...
Aug 19, 2019•24 min
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...
Aug 05, 2019•36 min
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 th...
Jul 15, 2019•35 min
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...
Jul 01, 2019•33 min
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...
Jun 15, 2019•38 min
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 ...
May 31, 2019•30 min
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 Iro...
May 12, 2019•41 min
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 Wo...
Apr 26, 2019•37 min
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’...
Apr 05, 2019•30 min
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.
Apr 01, 2019•7 min
