Pastry Arts Podcast

Join host Tish Boyle, managing editor of Pastry Arts Magazine, as she goes in-depth with prominent pastry and baking figures to explore their journey, lessons and advice to inspire professionals striving for excellence.

Martin Sorge: Turning a Baking Obsession into a First-Place Win on The Great American Baking Show 04/07/2024

Martin Sorge: Turning a Baking Obsession into a First-Place Win on The Great American Baking Show Martin Sorge is a baker, recipe developer, and food writer based in Chicago, IL. A tried-and-true Midwestern native from Fort Wayne, IN, Martin’s passion for baking dates back to his early childhood when he accidentally set a microwave on fire while attempting to make a “biscuit” out of a few simple ingredients. Despite that setback, Martin forged ahead with his love of food to become a self-trained home baker, educating himself on the variety of baking techniques through cookbooks, blogs, friends, learning from mistakes, and lots of eating. He started by baking simple breads and cookies before incorporating more complex dishes to his repertoire, which quickly garnered interest from his friends, family, and community. Looking to share his love for baking with the world, Martin competed in his first-ever baking competition, The Great American Baking Show, and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith named him the winner in 2023. Today, Martin takes his approachable Midwestern roots, his homebase of Chicago, and his not-too-serious (sometimes corny) personality and combines those with his nerdy technical knowledge to create accessible recipes for the home cook. When he’s not in the kitchen baking up a storm, Martin enjoys board games, jumping in lakes, exploring places near and far with his husband, and his newfound hobby—pottery. (Now he can make the cake and the cake plate.) Follow along with Martin’s baking adventures via Instagram @martinsorge, TikTok @martinsorge, Twitter @martinsorge, his website martinbakes.com, and his Substack newsletter: Great Bakes. In this episode we discuss: How Martin’s food-centric Midwest family nurtured his love of cooking How determination, research and hard work turned Martin into a talented baker Martin’s career as a consultant in economic development for small businesses His top survive-and-thrive tips for owners of small food-related businesses Surviving the application process for The Great American Baking Show The dirty details: what it’s really like to compete on The Great American Baking Show Some of the things Martin's working on now, from recipe development to his Substack newsletter And much more! Episode Sponsored by Republica Del Cacao This podcast is sponsored by Republica Del Cacao. Say hello to this authentic Latin American Chocolate! They are a local brand with a global impact! The value of their products begins in the hands of their allied farmers, whose raw materials reach their team. Through processes of excellence, they transform them to create fine origin chocolate enjoyed by Chefs and Chocolate enthusiasts in more than 20 countries, as a community and a brand, they are changing the world, one cacao bean at a time! /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/30695353

Mario Bacherini: Bringing Decades of Pastry and Chocolate Expertise to L’École Valrhona on the West Coast 03/05/2024

Mario Bacherini: Bringing Decades of Pastry and Chocolate Expertise to L’École Valrhona on the West Coast Based in Los Angeles, California, Chef Mario Bacherini is the West Coast Pastry Chef of L’École Valrhona, where is he is in charge of conducting classes, demonstrations and workshops for professionals, providing one-on-one culinary consultations and bringing Valrhona’s expert touch to the West Coast. After graduating from culinary school in Florence, Italy, Chef Bacherini went on to do his apprenticeship as a chocolatier. He began working in Michelin-starred restaurants across Italy and France until he decided to settle in Perpignan, France, where he trained under Olivier Bajard (Meilleur Ouvrier de France). In 2008 he moved to Paris, where he worked at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak. Four years later, Bacherini left Paris for New York City, where he took on the role of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, managing three restaurants. While in New York, he also traveled the world to teach pastry masterclasses in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Italy and France, as well as the United States. In 2017, he moved to Los Angeles where he began his own consulting company, providing consulting for bakeries, pastry shops and restaurants, and later on had the opportunity to work side by side with one of the best pastry chefs in the world, Amaury Guichon, in his newly opened school in Las Vegas. Chef Bacherini continued to deliver his expertise across the United States and abroad until he got the call from Valrhona to join their North America team at the beginning of 2023. In this episode we discuss: Bacherini’s challenging childhood and how he became interested in pastry Attending culinary school in Florence How he snagged his apprenticeship with a top-notch chocolatier Moving to France to work for Olivier Bajard, M.O.F. Working with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée Landing the position of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu in NYC His experience teaching masterclasses around the globe How he became West Coast Pastry Chef for L’École Valrhona A typical day at the office for Chef Bacherini The importance of using high quality ingredients and staying “authentic” And much more! /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/30238793

Didier Saba: Turning a Passion for Macarons into a Thriving Business 02/06/2024

Gonzo Jimenez: Perfecting the Art of All-or-Nothing in Chocolate and in Life 01/10/2024

Philip Khoury: Raising the Bar on Plant-Based Desserts 12/06/2023

Yolanda Gampp: The ‘Queen of Cakes’ and Host of YouTube’s ‘How To Cake It’ 11/07/2023

Adam Thomas: An Untempered Approach to Pastry and Chocolate 10/24/2023

Adam Thomas: An Untempered Approach to Pastry and Chocolate After over 20 years of making sweets in celebrated kitchens all over the world, Chef Adam Thomas launched his own brand, Thomas Craft Confections, in Brenham, TX. Adam began his professional journey working at a San Diego bakery at age 18 with Alsatian master baker Pascal Zindel, and it was there that he realized that confectionary arts was his calling. During a successful apprenticeship at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Adam connected with long-time mentor, Jean-Francois “Jeff” Lehuede. While still working at the Ritz-Carlton, Adam took on a second role at the St Regis Monarch Beach Resort to learn from pastry chef Stéphan Tréand, MOF. After taking the role of Head Pastry Chef at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey, Adam was sent to help open other Ritz-Carlton hotels in Abaco Island, Bahamas, and Denver, Colorado. From there, Adam was sent to Enniskerry Ireland to assist with another opening at the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt. Then it was chocolate competitions in Cologne, Germany, and Madrid, Spain and learning chocolate science in T’Hain l’Hermitage, France and Schwyz, Switzerland. Adam went on to Executive Pastry Chef residencies at Capella Singapore, The Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, and at the longest running 5-star resort in the country, The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs. It was in Colorado Adam was able to sink his teeth into the baking and pastry program and make it one of the very best in the country. Adam now owns and operates Thomas Craft Confections in Brenham, Texas. In this episode we discuss: How Adam got hooked on pastry His apprenticeship under Pascal Zindel His illustrious, global career with the Ritz-Carlton Why he was drawn to chocolate work The experience of chocolate competitions in Europe Working in Singapore and appreciating desserts with less sugar and fat Engaging with peers on the ‘Untempered’ podcast Adam’s kitchen tips and advice for neophyte pastry cooks And much more! Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry. At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations. We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag. At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft. Visit to learn more. /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/28394447

Rebecca Masson: From Parisian Pastry Dreams to Houston's Sweet Success 09/04/2023

Rebecca Masson: From Parisian Pastry Dreams to Houston's Sweet Success You may recognize Rebecca from her appearance on Top Chef: Just Desserts or the standout mention in Southern Living where her Houston-based, sweet tooth haven of a storefront, , was named one of the “South’s Best Bakeries.” The Wyoming native made her first “go big or go home” play back in 1999 when she secured a spot at the famed Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris, and soon after, a coveted internship at the landmark Le Bristol hotel. There, under the tutelage of Pastry Chef Gilles Marchal, she got a taste of Michelin-starred kitchens. After graduating, she worked her way through many famed New York City kitchens, eventually becoming head pastry chef at The Red Cat with Executive Chef Jimmy Bradley. After years of work in the Big Apple, Rebecca pivoted to Texas just as Houston’s culinary scene was starting to heat up. Masson accepted an invitation from Executive Chef Ryan Pera, now chef-owner of Coltivare and Revival Market, to oversee pastry for *17 Restaurant and the Sam Houston Hotel. She quickly generated a cult following in the 713, earning a nickname as the city’s “Sugar Fairy”. My Table Magazine designated her Best Pastry Chef, the first of many local honors, which led to positions with Houston-based and nationally noted chefs and restaurateurs ranging from Charles Clark to Chris Shepherd, as well as a role with HEB Central Market, before stepping out on her own with Fluff Bake Bar in 2011. Masson moved Fluff to its current, larger location in the Heights neighborhood in 2020 and her pastries and confections have received notable coverage in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Texas Monthly, Houston Chronicle, Culture Map, Saveur and TimeOut, among many others. In this episode we discuss: How Rebecca got hooked on pastry Her experience attending Le Cordon Bleu Staging at Le Bristol in Paris Working for Daniel Boulud in NYC Opening Fluff Bake Bar, using a commissary kitchen Launching the brick-and-mortar Fluff Bake Bar Rebecca’s top kitchen tips and advice for future pastry chefs And much more! Episode Sponsored by Guittard Chocolate Company We know the level of expertise required to succeed in pastry. At Guittard, our family has been perfecting our craft for five generations. We source premium cacao beans from all over the world to offer a variety of flavor profiles and meet any application need. Now these chocolates are available in an easy to use 3 kilo bag. At Guittard, we focus on the chocolate details so you can focus on your craft. Visit to learn more. /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/27923145

Jana Lai: Persevering and Winning at the Top Tier of the French Pastry Scene 08/10/2023

Elaine Boddy: A Conversation with the Sourdough Whisperer 07/17/2023

Nicole Patel: An Award-Winning Chocolatier Talks Shop 06/07/2023

Nicole Patel: An Award-Winning Chocolatier Talks Shop In 2006, while pregnant with her first son, Chef Nicole Patel made a batch of chocolate truffles as last-minute holiday gifts. To the delight of her friends and family, truffle-making became an enjoyable pastime for Nicole that relieved the stress of her corporate engineering job. In 2008, a serendipitous trip to the Texas Wine Country led to Nicole being the first person in Texas to make truffles using local wines. Thanks to her dedication and self-taught skills, Delysia Chocolatier quickly rose to become one of the Best Chocolatiers in the Americas, as recognized by the International Chocolate Salon and Taste TV. Nicole has most recently been named 2023’s Best Chocolatier in the Americas with the highest honor, Six Star Award: Grand Master Chocolatier, an impressive designation she has received a total of ten times. Her most recent accolades comprise over 88 awards in total, among which are 20 gold medals and 22 silver medals. Notably, she has demonstrated unmatched mastery in the Spicy Chocolate, Hot Chocolate, Ruby Chocolate, and White Chocolate competition categories. Nicole now pairs the process efficiency skills from her Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees from Texas A&M University with unbound creativity in the kitchen to keep Delysia successfully moving forward. Nicole never could have imagined how her experience working at a Fortune 100 company as a supply chain, quality, and business process improvement expert would prime her for distributing her own products across the country. Nicole lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Rahul and their two sons, Sébastien and Colin. In this episode we discuss: How Nicole made the transition from a corporate career to chocolatier Juggling her day job with her chocolate business sideline The construction challenges of opening a brick-and-mortar business How she cultivates partnerships with other food artisans The big pivot: promoting virtual chocolate tastings during the pandemic How Nicole develops and maintains her corporate gift giving accounts Nicole’s top tips for cleaning chocolate molds And much more! Episode Sponsored by Dobla - IRCA We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit . /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/27049422

Kelly Nam: A Pastry Superstar Talks About Her Career Trials and Triumphs 05/16/2023

Cedric Barbaret: A Top Pastry Chef and Dessert Entrepreneur Living the Dream in Amish Country 04/03/2023

Cedric Barbaret: A Top Pastry Chef and Dessert Entrepreneur Living the Dream in Amish Country Cedric Barbaret, owner, operator and chef of Bistro Barbaret & Bakery in Lancaster, PA, has over 25 years of professional pastry experience as well as a Master’s Degree in Pastry from Patisserie Chereau in France. His passion for pastry began at Patissrerie Barbaret, his family’s bakery near Lyon, France, where he served his apprenticeship. Chef Barberet’s experience includes a position as Executive Pastry Chef at Donald Trump’s prestigious Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. While working in Palm Beach in 2005, he spent two months creating Donald Trump’s five-foot high, seven-tier Grand Marnier chiffon wedding cake. Barberet has also worked at the Las Vegas M Resort Casino & Spa with Executive Pastry Chef Jean Claude Canestrier. In 2009, Barberet joined the prestigious team at Philadelphia’s Le Bec-Fin as the Executive Pastry Chef and most recently served as the Executive Pastry Chef for Buddakan. Follow Chef Barbaret on Instagram at @cedricbarbaret or the business at @bistrobarbaretandbakery. In this episode we discuss: Cedric’s pastry roots at his family’s patisserie in France His decision to get a Master’s degree in pastry at the age of 18 How he landed in America as a young pastry chef Designing and making Donald and Melania Trump’s wedding cake Opening the luxury M Resort in Las Vegas: hello high volume! His days as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia Winning FoodNetwork’s Chopped Sweets And much more! Episode Sponsored by Puratos Imagine a milk-alike, plant-based chocolate that tastes great and does good. That’s what makes new Belcolade M. Plant Based Cacao-Trace Chocolate so exceptional. Our cocoa beans are carefully selected and fermented to perfection at our post-harvest centers across the globe. The result is a creamy, dairy-free chocolate like no other—and greater income for our cocoa farmers. Take your creations to the next level with Belcolade M. Plant-Based Chocolate. Great Taste, Doing Good. Learn more at /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/26402271

Karen Krasne: A Pastry Chef and Entrepreneur Talks About Her Career of Extraordinary Desserts 03/08/2023

Karen Krasne: A Pastry Chef and Entrepreneur Talks About Her Career of Extraordinary Desserts Karen Krasne is the owner and Executive Pastry Chef of Extraordinary Desserts and the author of Extraordinary Cakes: Recipes for Bold and Sophisticated Desserts, which is in its third printing. Once called the “Queen of Cakes” by Gourmet magazine, Karen brings a fresh and contemporary sensibility to special occasion cakes. What makes her cakes showstoppers are their unexpected flavor combinations and vibrant touches using fresh fruit and real flowers, which add flair without being fussy. Karen’s cakes have graced the cover of Bon Appetit, and Forbes recognized her as one of the country’s ten best pastry chefs. Karen has been featured in The New York Times, Sunset, and The Los Angeles Times, among other national and international publications. Karen is an industry veteran having been in the industry for over 30 years. She studied pastry making at the Cordon Bleu and returns to Paris, France each year to train with the masters at LeNotre and Bellouet Conseil. In this episode we discuss: How Karen first became interested in pastry Her European training Why she decided to start her own business Her signature items at Extraordinary Desserts Her inspiration and process for creating new recipes Karen’s priority of hiring and nurturing women employees Writing her book, Extraordinary Cakes Her thoughts on the latest pastry trends and the next generation of pastry chefs And much more! Episode Sponsored by Dobla - IRCA We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit . /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/26164776

Brad Kintzer: A Chief Chocolate Maker Talks About His Dream Job 02/21/2023

Brad Kintzer: A Chief Chocolate Maker Talks About His Dream Job Brad Kintzer is the Chief Chocolate Maker at TCHO Chocolate, based in Berkeley, California. Prior to joining TCHO, Brad was chocolate maker and product developer at U.S. bean-to-bar chocolate pioneer, Scharffen Berger, acquired by The Hershey Company in 2005. Previous to his 20 years of chocolate making, Brad studied tropical botany and environmental studies at the University of Vermont, and spent months working on cacao plantations throughout Latin America to better understand the origins of chocolate flavor. At TCHO since 2009, Brad and his team are focused on innovating in every aspect of chocolate making; from cocoa genetics, fermentation and roasting, to creating unique and tasty chocolate products for market. Brad volunteers on the board of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA) and also the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP). In this episode we discuss: How Brad’s interest in botany became an obsession with the cacao plant Brad’s first job at a chocolate factory His first job as a chocolate maker at Scharffen Berger in San Francisco Landing a job as Chief Chocolate Maker at TCHO in Berkeley, CA How TCHO partners with cacao farmers to produce better chocolate How TCHO transitioned to 100 percent plant-based Brad’s favorite source for cacao beans His thoughts about eliminating heavy metal contamination in dark chocolate And much, much more! Episode Sponsored by Dobla - IRCA We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit . /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/25990692

Josh Allen: The Business of Bread 02/06/2023

Cheryl Wakerhauser: A Conversation with a Successful Pastry Entrepreneur 01/23/2023

Cheryl Wakerhauser: A Conversation with a Successful Pastry Entrepreneur Pastry chef, entrepreneur and bon vivant, Cheryl Wakerhauser, sees every day as a chance to learn something new and contribute something else. After a short-lived career studying to be an astronaut, Cheryl received a degree in pastry arts from Vancouver’s Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and then headed straight to Southern France to further train at the prestigious pâtisserie of MOF Philippe URRACA. Her eccentric dessert restaurant, Pix Pâtisserie, was born in Portland, Oregon in 2002, where adventurous guests could enjoy bold flavored sweet treats paired with a Belgian ale late into the night. Bar Vivant was added to the space in 2012, bringing a savory menu of San Sebastián inspired tapas to pair with the ever growing, award-winning beverage selection, showcasing both champagne and sherry wines. The pandemic inspired a new business model – vending. The Pix-O-Matic debuted in 2020 selling the same fine French pâtisserie that was served in the restaurant, but in a 24-hour contactless vending machine. Her techniques, flavor combinations and whimsical design (along with a few parlor tricks!) can be discovered in her acutely instructional cookbooks, Modern French Pastry and Petite Pâtisserie, which have received accolades by France’s two most prestigious professional cooking trade journals, Thuriès Gastonomie and Le Journal du Pâtissier. She also teaches food and wine master classes, where students can learn how to make a croquembouche, perfect their macarons or explore the different styles of sherry wine. In this episode we discuss: How Cheryl first became interested in pastry How she landed an internship with Phillipe Urraca, MOF What it was like to be one of the only women in a French pastry kitchen How she turned her dream of opening a pastry shop into reality The careful crafting of a fun atmosphere at Pix Patisserie Navigating the COVID pandemic and the brainstorm of the Pix-o-Matic How she was able to write two successful cookbooks Cheryl’s secret for making pastry cream in record time and much more! Episode Sponsored by Dobla - IRCA We know pastry chefs are busy. Ordering from Dobla and IRCA means not having to make everything from scratch, and instead spending time assembling final products for sale. It means getting more products in one place, which cuts down on the time spent browsing catalogs, placing orders and visiting with sales representatives. That means you spend less time focused on the business and more time on the thing you love: creating succulent sweets and savories that will keep your customers coming back for seconds. For more information, visit . /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/25670130

Maurizio Leo: Finding Joy in the Quest for the Perfect Sourdough Loaf 01/01/2023

Cynthia Samanian: How to Begin Teaching Pastry & Baking Online 12/12/2022

Genevieve Ko: Succeeding in the World of Food Journalism 11/16/2022

Lasheeda Perry: A Conversation with the Queen of Flavor 11/02/2022

Lasheeda Perry: A Conversation with the Queen of Flavor Lasheeda Perry is the pastry chef and owner of Queen of Flavor, a company that specializes in everything from revamping your dessert menu to helping you design and execute your dream dessert menu. Lasheeda has always had a passion for culinary arts, and luckily for the sweet-tooth everywhere, this love has materialized into a successful and rewarding career. Prior to creating Queen of Flavor, she received her culinary education from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Immediately after graduation, Lasheeda secured an entry level pastry cook position at Four Seasons Resort Dallas. Within five years of beginning her career, Lasheeda would hold the title of Executive Pastry Chef at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Bon Appetit Management Company LinkedIn. Throughout her culinary journey, Lasheeda has received numerous awards and accolades. In 2012, she won season two of Food Network Sweet Genius after proving her skills by overcoming tight time constraints, masterfully incorporating secret ingredients and accommodating larger-than-life requests. That same year, several of Lasheeda’s desserts landed on Philadelphia food critic Craig LaBan's coveted Four-Bell Finestlist. In 2018, she was a finalist on Food Network Best Baker in America, Season 2 where she was named the “Queen of Flavor”. Lasheeda is never the one to pass up a cool opportunity. Last November, she was presented with the chance to take on an iron chef, on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay, and that she did! Queen of Flavor’s pastry services include, menu development, virtual baking classes, R&D development, interim pastry services, pop-ups, and more. In this episode we discuss: How a high school teacher jump-started Lasheeda’s path to a culinary career Her first taste of success: winning a culinary competition and a trip to China How C-CAP helped her land a full-tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales Lasheeda’s first job in the pastry kitchen at the Four Season Hotel in Dallas, TX Her first Executive Pastry Chef position at Bon Appetit Management Company at LinkedIN Landing the position as Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Season Atlanta How she got her first gig on the FoodNetwork and how it felt to beat Bobby Flay Lasheeda’s best advice for those entering the industry And much more! And much more! Sponsored by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company Ghirardelli Chocolate Company’s Professional Products Division now offers their Premium Chocolate in convenient 5lb. bags. This exceptional product portfolio includes their new non-dairy 72% and 52% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chips. The full line makes it easier for operators to enjoy the benefits of baking cookies, brownies, cakes, molding truffles, filling tarts, or topping mochas. For more information and to request a free sample please visit or email . /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/24881439

Romain Dufour: Master Baker and Problem Solver 10/19/2022

Cydni Mitchell: Pricing, Marketing & Sales for Bakery & Sweet Business Owners 10/08/2022

Carol Gancia: The Long and Winding Road to Becoming an Artisan Chocolatier 09/20/2022

Crystal Bonnet: Mastering the Art of Raw Desserts 09/07/2022

Michael Laiskonis: Teaching and Inspiring a New Generation of Pastry Chefs 08/26/2022

Tavel Bristol-Joseph: A Pastry Chefs Journey from Guyana to "Best New Chef" 07/21/2022

Tavel Bristol-Joseph: A Pastry Chefs Journey from Guyana to "Best New Chef" Tavel Bristol-Joseph is the Pastry Chef and Partner at Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimotxo, Henbit, TLV and Canje in Austin, Texas. He began his culinary journey as a young boy, spending every Saturday afternoon baking cookies, cakes, and pies with his aunt. After moving to the United States from Guyana when he was 17 years old, Bristol-Joseph attended the New York Restaurant School. He then worked in a variety of restaurants in New York before moving to Tucson in 2006, where he joined Fox Restaurant Concepts. He worked within the restaurant group for two years before going to Zona 78 where he met and began working with Chef Kevin Fink. Fink and Bristol-Joseph decided to move to Austin to open Emmer & Rye in November 2015. Emmer & Rye has been included in Bon Appétit’s “America’s Best New Restaurants 2016” list, as well as named Austin American-Statesman’s“2018 Best Restaurant in Austin.” In 2020, Bristol-Joseph opened Hestia with Fink which has been named “#1 Best New Restaurant in America” by Robb Report. Bristol-Joseph also received the StarChefs Rising Star Award in 2017 and was named one of FOOD & WINE Magazine’s “Best New Chefs of 2020.” Bristol-Joseph is a proud father to teenaged twins and currently resides in Austin with his wife Brittany and his dog Gus Gus. In this episode we discuss: Growing up in Guyana How Tavel got hooked on baking when he was young Moving to New York and enrolling in the New York Restaurant School Tavel’s work experience and meeting his future business partner Opening Emmer & Rye in 2015, and the challenges that came along with it Building the business, opening five more restaurants What makes Tavel’s Basque Cheesecake so good! How he motivates his team Being named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s ‘Best New Chefs of 2020’ And much more! Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit for more insights. /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/23818829

Shaun Velez: Pastry Life at a Michelin Star Restaurant 06/09/2022

Shaun Velez: Pastry Life at a Michelin Star Restaurant Born and raised in the Bronx, Pastry Chef Shaun Velez graduated from the French Culinary Institute, now known as the Institute of Culinary Education, in 2008. Following his studies, he established his career in the award-winning kitchens of Chef Daniel Boulud, where he worked closely with his mentor and James Beard Award winning pastry chef Ghaya Oliveira at both Boulud Sud and Restaurant DANIEL. Before making his way back to New York, Shaun spent some time in Boston as the Executive Pastry Chef at Deuxave, chef-owner Chris Coombs’s contemporary French restaurant. There, he brought new skills, flavors and concepts to the restaurant’s pastry program and Boston’s overall dessert scene. In 2018, Shaun returned to the Daniel Boulud family, this time as the Executive Pastry Chef at Café Boulud. Two years later, Chef Daniel tapped Shaun for the Executive Pastry Chef position at his acclaimed restaurant DANIEL. As Pastry Chef at DANIEL, Shaun continues to hone his craft by employing innovative techniques to transform classic desserts into modern creations, working on stunning constructions with the very best ingredients he can find. In this episode we discuss: How Shaun first became interested in the culinary world His experience of attending culinary school, and the opportunities it provided Shaun’s first experience working at in one of Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurants His first Executive Pastry Chef position at Deuxave in Boston How he landed his dream job at Restaurant DANIEL His signature style and some of the desserts on his current menu What direction he thinks modern pastry in the U.S. will go His views on work-life balance And much more! Episode Sponsored by ASR Group Experts trust Domino and C&H Sugar brands because each powerful grain of their cane sugar delivers an impact. Proving that baking is all about what you put into it. Visit for more insights. /episode/index/show/pastryartsmag/id/23378933

Dee Frances: Lessons in Baking Science from a Cookbook Author, Obsessive Baker & Blogger 05/04/2022

Luis Amado: From Churros Cart to Chocolate Academy 03/30/2022

Pastry Arts Podcast

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