"Birch" dessert from Corton- Gawle's signature dish?

The DessetBuzz copy editors are on strike until I increase their macaron stipend–so it’s going to be one more day until we look at Corton’s desserts. Until then here’s some older content that was popular:

Yannis Janssens Foret Noire: Manjari, Kirsch Chantilly and Griottines

(This post is from June 2010. Check back tomorrow for new DessertBuzz content)

Last night I had the pleasure to attend the awards for the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America presented by Dessert Professional Magazine at The Institute of Culinary Education. I was truly blown away by the quality of each and every dish – there was not one weak dessert. Even though each chef and their team had to prepare over 300 servings it didn’t seem to deter them from making really involved creations with many components (see home made chocolate covered pop rocks). Without exception, these were some of the most spectacular desserts I have ever eaten. Over the next few days (weeks?) I’ll be posting some video and going into more depth about some of the desserts. The first wave of pictures are below. Enjoy.

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Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards | 5 Comments »

Chef Francisco Migoya from the CIA

Tonight I attended the “The Oscars” for pastry, also known as The Top 10 Pastry Chef Awards presented by Dessert Professional Magazine.  Ten of the best pastry chefs in the US all gathered in one place who, along with teams of 4-6 assistants, composed and plated over 300 fancy-pants desserts for attendees.  There’s no judging or competition here, just lots of appreciation for the skills and careers of these accomplished chefs.

Here are the honorees and their desserts:

Antonio Bachour – Executive Pastry Chef, Quattro at Trump Soho, New York, NY and Solea at W South Beach, Miami

Antonio Bachour's Manjari Lolipops

Antonio Bachour's vanilla panna cotta with apricot caviar

Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez – Pastry Chef and Owner, PRINT at the Ink Hotel, New York, NY

Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez from Print in the Ink Hotel

Chocolate Flan with chocolate sorbet and preserved black currants

Tariq Hanna – Pastry Chef and Owner, Sucre, New Orleans, LA

Tariq Hanna Lipstick on a pig dessert

Top 10 Pastry Chef 2011 Tariq Hanna from Sucre

Sylvain Leroy – Pastry Chef and Technical Advisor, Paris Gourmet, Carlstadt, NJ

Pastry Chef Sylvan Leroy's desserts

Francisco Migoya – Associate Professor, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY

Chef Francisco Migoya from the CIA

Top 10 Pastry Chefs dessert Professional Magazine

Jerome Landrieu – Pastry Chef and Director, Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy, Chicago, IL

Pastry Chef Jerome Landrieu from the Barry Callebaut Chocolate acedemy

Yoni Morales – Executive Pastry Chef, New York New York Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Chef Yani Morales - Executive Chef of Ark

Oscar Ortega – Pastry Chef and Owner, Atelier Ortega, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Tres Leches cake

More from Wyoming's Oscar Ortega

Chocolates from Atelier Ortega

Ron Paprocki – Executive Pastry Chef, Gordon Ramsay at The London

Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki from Gordan Ramsey at The London In NEw York

Jean-Francois Suteau – Executive Pastry Chef, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA

Pastry Chef Jean-Francois Suteau from the Beverly Hills Hotel

Video of Ron Paprocki, Executive Pastry Chef, Gordon Ramsay at The London, talking about his Valrhona chocolate mousse at this year’s event is here.  For coverage of last year’s event go here.  A full gallery of images is here.

Follow DessertBuzz on Twitter for  updates.

Gordon Ramsey The London, Print, Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards, Top 10 Pastry chefs of 2011 | 16 Comments »

Johnny Iuzzini like's Michelle's Gluten-free trio

Michelle Tampakis gluten-free trio

Gluten free desserts have come of age.  I saw proof on Monday night:   I watched Johnny Iuzzini swoop into kitchen 501 at the 2010 Top Pastry Chef Awards and absolutely scarf down the gluten-free Trio prepared by Michelle Tamapakis.   After eating the first third he proclaimed “Gluten-free? That’s awesome! It’s delicious”

So that’s two giant steps forward for Gluten-free desserts in one night, the first being Michelle Tampakis choosing to prepare a Gluten-free dessert for the awards and nailing it.

In case anyone was wondering what DessertBuzz thought of the trio, I thought it rocked too.  The sushi-like, carrot cake piece was outstanding.  Check out the video below to see Michelle serve the trio to Johnny Iuzzini and to hear more details about the trio.

More coverage of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards:
Part I is here.
Part II is here.

The Dessert Professional Magazine website is here.

The Institute of Culinary education web site is here.

Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards | 7 Comments »

Pistachio financier...

Frank Vollkommer was clearly not put off by having to bring 300 servings of a dessert to the Top 10 Pastry chefs of 2010 awards where he was being honored.  In fact, he actually brought two different items, neither of them very simple.  And if that wasn’t enough, he also brought some handmade chocolates as well.

From the Chocolate Mill in Glens Falls NY

The first item, a pistachio financier with vanilla parfait, lemon custard and rosemary infused blueberry compote, was a real crowd pleaser based on the comments from the attendees standing near me. “Not too sweet” and “this one in the glass is to die for” were two comments I wrote down while i was setting up the DessertBuzz video crew.

The second item which was designed by his wife Jessica, was a parfait with tropical soft ganache, passionfruit marmalade, buttermilk chocolate cake and milk chocolate mousse (!).   Jessica is also a chef and partner in the Chocolate Mill pastry chop and cafe in Glens Falls, NY where they both work.

Check out the video where Frank explains the ingredients  and what inspired these desserts.

More coverage of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards:

Part I  featuring photos of each of the top 10 honorees is here.

Part II featuring Nicholas Lodge of the French Culinary Institute of Chicago is here.

Part III (with Johnny Iuzzini and Michelle Tampakis) is here.

Part IV featuring executive pastry chef Yannis Janssens of the Fontainbleau resort in Miami Beach in here.

The Dessert Professional Magazine website is here.

The Institute of Culinary education web site is here.

Interviews, Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards | 1 Comment »

Yannis Janssens Foret Noire: Manjari, Kirsch Chantilly and Griottines

While I was absolutely blown away by all of the desserts from the top 10 honorees, I did have a few favorites. These desserts not only showcased each chefs masterful pastry skills, as they all did, but also happened to be in line with my personal sweet tastes.  One such dessert was Yannis Janssens Foret Noire: with Manjari, Kirsch Chantilly and Griottines.  This was a modern spin on black forest cake (which normally I don’t even like).

The key to this dessert was the masterful handling of the two different layers of chocolate in each component which I learned are hand dipped.   Each component had a very uniform and smooth outer chocolate layer.   Then, inside there was a completely different type of chocolate with the same smooth texture.  The two types of chocolate in the darker half were very rich and flavorful and not too sweet.  Yannis notes one of the chocolates in the title of the dessert “Manjari”, in reference to Valrhona’s Manjari dark chocolate which features Madagascar beans.  Very pro!

Easily worth a trip to Miami.   Check out the video to learn more about the dish.

More coverage of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards:
Part I is here.

Part II is here.

Part III (with Johnny Iuzzini and Michelle Tampakis) is here.

The Dessert Professional Magazine website is here.

The Institute of Culinary education web site is here.

Interviews, Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards | 3 Comments »

Yannis Janssens Foret Noire: Manjari, Kirsch Chantilly and Griottines

Last night I had the pleasure to attend the awards for the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America presented by Dessert Professional Magazine at The Institute of Culinary Education.   I was truly blown away by the quality of each and every dish – there was not one weak dessert.  Even though each chef and their team had to prepare over 300 servings it didn’t seem to deter them from making really involved creations with many components (see home made chocolate covered pop rocks).  Without exception, these were some of the most spectacular desserts I have ever eaten.   Over the next few days (weeks?)  I’ll be posting some video and going into more depth about some of the desserts.  The first wave of pictures are below.  Enjoy.

2010 Top 10 Honorees:

Nicholas Lodge - French Pastry School, Chicago IL

Chapeau Chic - the flowers looked real Nicholas specialty

Roy Pell - The Phoenician, Scottsdale AZ

My overall favorite dessert among a 3-Star field of desserts

Jacquelan

Christopher Boos - Dunkin Brands

Milk Chocolate Jasmine Tea Tart: Baskin-Robbins Cranberry Sorbet w/ Soaked Cherries, Dunkin Dark Roast Coffee Cream

Kimberly Bugler - Restaurant 21, NYC

Strawberry Upside Down Cake with Kalamansani Silk, Basil Ice Cream and Vanilla-Roasted Strawberries

Steve Evetts - Marriot Marquis Hotel, NYC

Hazelnut Passion Green Tea and Corazon

This dessert had chocolate covered pop rocks and sorbet in a working lipstick dispenser

Bill Foltz - L’Auberge du Lac Resort Casino, Lake Charles LA

Honey Cake, Coconut Haupia, Valrhona Cream and Pineapple Lemongrass Salsa

Yannis Janssens - Fontainebleau, Miami Beach FL

Michelle Tampakis - Institute of Culinary Education, NYC

Gluten_free_trio Carrot Cake

Robert Truitt - Corton, NYC

Rhubarb Bavarois, Sorrel Cucumber Granite Pistachio Sable

Frank Vollkommer - The Chocolate Mill, Glens Falls NY

Pistachio Financier with Vanilla Parfait Lemon Custard & Rosemary Infused Wild Blueberry Compote

Hall of Fame honoree: Gary Guittard

The Dessert Professional Magazine website is here.

The Institute of Culinary education web site is here.

Part II with Nicholas Lodge is here.

Part III (with Johnny Iuzzini and Michelle Tampakis) is here.

Part IV with Jannis Janssens is here.

Special Events, Top 10 Pastry Chefs of 2010 Awards | 9 Comments »