Desserts have always held a place in the world, but the carefully crafted and gourmet side that pastry falls under has managed to lead a rather unpredictable existence. Two years ago at a prominent industry event the moderator of a culinary panel made a bold statement claiming “the pastry chef is dead.” It sparked quite a bit of debate and controversy, but with many of the top pastry chefs at the time leaving their executive pastry positions, it certainly begged the question. Much to the contrary, the LA Times recently posted an article “Sweet! Pastry Chefs are Making a Comeback,” citing that pastry chefs suffered only a minor displacement with the recession and are well on their way to becoming mainstays in the industry. What seems to be the problem is that there is inherently a misunderstanding of pastry and the profession behind it in the culinary world. It’s not a question of will it stay or go, but how is it evolving and what new paths and ideas are changing the perceptions and acceptance of both.
What Comes First, Pastry or the Chef?
In classic “chicken or the egg” style argument, the same goes for pastry and the pastry chef. What comes first, the overall acceptance of high-end desserts to propel the need of a pastry chef or pastry chefs to create and change consumers’ perceptions of desserts? It’s no secret that the ideology of food in the U.S. has dramatically shifted to a “Live to Eat” culture, giving rise to the “foodie” and opening up the world to more options executed at a higher level. At the same time, celebrity chefs have been a part of this change, bringing more and more visibility to the creativity and technique that go into the preparation of fine desserts.
Chef Michael Laiskonis, creative director of New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education and founder of Laiskonis Consulting, shares, “While I think sweets will always be a ‘bonus,’ the visibility of pastry chefs continues to increase alongside acceptance of more sophisticated desserts.” Chef Laiskonis further notes, “Our own ‘foodie’ culture has been developing since the 1990s, has certainly helped us raise the bar in terms of how the public perceives quality and their willingness to explore inventive flavors.”
Supporting a similar but slightly different thought process, seasoned Pastry Chef and Founder of JMPurePastry Jimmy MacMillan explains, “Although we do recognize that consumers have become more familiar with high-quality bakery items and composed restaurant desserts, the evolution has been slow.”
Chef MacMillan summarizes, however, that “there are certainly many more artisan gelato makers, chocolatiers and creative donut shops in the past five years.”
Who Cares What Comes First, It’s About Presenting Pastry in the Best Light
Chefs MacMillan and Laiskonis both agree that the most important factor for staying relevant as a chef and contributing to the fame of pastry is to simply be the best. To this, both believe the key lies in continuously seeking learning opportunities. The real evolution then comes after by sharing gained knowledge with colleagues, through dessert creations and using it to continually push the boundaries.
“It is important for each professional to understand that we are responsible to each other to keep the field active by educating ourselves and our customers, keeping current with all trends and contributing regularly to publications and food events that represent the pastry chef respectably,” says Chef MacMillan.
Chef MacMillan practices what he preaches. With years of experience in restaurants and hotels behind him, Chef MacMillan and his wife Julie MacMillan are the visionaries behind JMPurePastry, a Chicago-based pastry solutions group specializing in high-quality, well-designed media products for the restaurant, baking and hospitality industry. “The best evolution of a pastry chef is fueled by constant study of techniques and manipulation of dessert ingredients,” Chef MacMillan states.
Most notable of JMPurePastry’s projects is the Emmy-winning video series Chicago Restaurant Pastry Competition (CRPC). In its third season, CRPC is a video-based pastry competition for both insiders in the culinary world and consumers who want to understand the challenges and intricacies of pastry preparation as well as the trials and tribulations the four pre-selected chefs go through as they compete. Competitions in the culinary world promote self-learning. Having been a competitor, coach and judge, PreGel AMERICA’s Corporate Chef Frederic Monti understands the growth opportunities that culinary competitions provide to chefs. “I believe every chef should compete at least once in their career,” says Chef Monti. “The experience is invaluable as you learn how to challenge yourself, understand what your limits are and how to be self-disciplined. Anyone who competes in the chef world is forever changed by the experience.”
The influx of specialty pastry-focused courses across the U.S. in the past 10 years is also a testament to the idea that continued learning is natural step in the evolution of pastry professionals and greater world of pasty. From professional chefs’ schools such as Jean-Marie Auboine’s Workshops and Stephane Treand’s Pastry School to corporate programs such as Cacao Barry’s Chocolate Academy and the PreGel 5-Star Pastry Series®, seasoned pastry chefs are committing their time to up-and-comers to ensure that the craft only continues to elevate.
As a chef touching the lives of students just beginning their journey in the field of pastry, Chef Laiskonis echoes the viewpoint that education is central to success. He shares, “The simple answer is to be good at what you do! The skill to produce quality will always be marketable. My advice to all pastry chefs, no matter their experience level, is to constantly pursue learning opportunities.”
Where Does “Being the Best” Lead To?
“While the traditional route for a pastry chef may have been limited to staying in a restaurant/hotel job forever, or opening one’s own shop, I think there now exist many more models and platforms to pursue,” says Chef Laiskonis.
According to Chef Laiskonis, more and more students are enrolling into culinary schools with various food careers in mind, including food writing, styling, food science, education, entrepreneurship, sales and consulting. All of these are realities because many of the successful pastry chefs from the traditional restaurant and hotel worlds are finding success branching out, giving hope that pastry chefs can have unique and lifelong careers.
Chef MacMillan’s own path is one example of how current pastry chefs are leading the charge on new and exciting ways to present pastry. “My path was to study from the top pastry artists in our field, research and archive pastry trends actively and contribute original pastry recipes and techniques to the field through media outlets and competitions,” says Chef MacMillan. “With so many avenues available, a broad-based understanding of the field combined with a clear vision of the type of chef one wants to become ensures the best chance of a successful career as a pastry chef.”
Other examples of how pastry professionals are branching out beyond the traditional job paths include the more recent development of corporate chef positions in all facets of foodservice, from ingredient companies to quick service restaurants; niche eateries such as Chef Sam Mason’s
OddFellows Ice Cream Co. which focuses on unique ice cream combinations; entrepreneurial endeavors such as Criollo Chocolatier, Chef Hichem Lahreche’s chocolate décor business developed for pastry chefs; and consulting opportunities which many chefs, such as Chef Johnny Iuzzini, formerly of Jean Georges and now overseeing Sugar Fueled Inc., are enjoying for the variety and freedom of projects they present.
The expansion of opportunities outside of restaurants, hotels and shops, however, doesn’t mean that these traditional areas are without growth. More and more pastry chefs, are sharing the spotlight with the executive chef, meaning equal press opportunities and front-of-the-house visibility. Menus are also being dedicated strictly to dessert tastings, with restaurants becoming destinations specifically for the pastry. On the shop side, innovation is a major evolution putting patisseries and bakeries back on the map. We’ve all heard about Dominique Ansel’s “Cronut®” by now, but to be fair to his über creativity, there are numerous pastries on his menu that defy the norm and are exciting his patrons every day. The success of the “Cronut®” has also opened the door for him to become a licensed entity, which is a unique approach to self-branding and reaping financial rewards.
The Outlook for Pastry and the Pastry Chef
The truth is it’s never been about the death or the resurrection of pastry and the pastry chef, but a story about the evolution of each and how they directly impact one another. In the past, the path for both just happened to be a bit more restricted. Today, changing consumer habits and inspiring risk taking chefs are transforming our culture and showcasing that pastry and pastry chefs really belong woven into every facet of the food industry. It’s about the creativity and the way they choose to impact the world and make it sweeter.
Laiskonis may put it best, “I see my own personal evolution in the industry – my responsibility – to now hopefully inspire the next generation and to shine a light on their successes.”
Desserts have always held a place in the world, but the carefully crafted and gourmet side that pastry falls under has managed to lead a rather unpredictable existence. Two years ago at a prominent industry event the moderator of a culinary panel made a bold statement claiming “the pastry chef is dead.” It sparked quite a bit of debate and controversy, but with many of the top pastry chefs at the time leaving their executive pastry positions, it certainly begged the question. Much to the contrary, the LA Times recently posted an article “Sweet! Pastry Chefs are Making a Comeback,” citing that pastry chefs suffered only a minor displacement with the recession and are well on their way to becoming mainstays in the industry. What seems to be the problem is that there is inherently a misunderstanding of pastry and the profession behind it in the culinary world. It’s not a question of will it stay or go, but how is it evolving and what new paths and ideas are changing the perceptions and acceptance of both.