Photos by: Ian Barnard
Think of it: those dazzling, intricate, sinful, crave-able desserts are fashioned from a handful of relatively unglamorous ingredients — sugar, butter, flour, chocolate, cream, some nuts, a bowl or two of fruits and berries, a sprinkle of spice. Not much room to hide. A little imagination meets a cup of sugar. Every single day, in all the restaurants of the world, working in tiny, chilly, quiet spaces, perfectionist pastry chefs are working chemical miracles, methodically measuring cups and teaspoons of boring, unadorned, “stuff.” It’s sweet alchemy — chemistry and creativity melding into a truffle, a ramekin, a tart. Unlike the “serious” part of the meal, dessert is fantasy, reward. The silkiness of the crème brûlée, the chocolate on the tip of your tongue, on your breath. But how much do we amateurs know about pastry chefs? Can you name one, or two? Why don’t pastry chefs get more respect?
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