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| September 02, 2010 01:03 PM | |||||
FALL 2008 CONFERENCE |
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Waldemar Albrecht |
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Waldemar's appreciation of fine cheeses led him from Venezuela via San Francisco to New York City's Artisanal Fromagerie & Bistro. After studying business administration and law, and following stints as an art curator and a line cook, Waldemar discovered his true calling at San Francisco's renowned Market Hall Foods, where he served as cheese buyer and department manager, employee trainer, and seminar lecturer from 1998 to 2002. Waldemar's knowledge and reputation drew the attention of fellow American Cheese Society member Daphne Zepos and led him to the Artisanal Premium Cheese's affinage team in the spring of 2003. | ||||
Dave Arnold |
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Dave Arnold grew up in the New York area and began tinkering with restaurant equipment after graduating from art school. Initially, he customized equipment for use in art projects, but after meeting Chef Wylie Dufresne of wd~50 in 2004, he focused his equipment skills on the high-tech cooking movement. In 2004, Dave founded the Museum of Food and Drink, an institution based on learning about the history and culture of food through eating. In 2005, he joined The French Culinary Institute as the director of culinary technology, where he is dedicated to helping chefs achieve their goals using new technologies, techniques, and ingredients. Dave is also the contributing editor for equipment and food technology for Food Arts. | ||||
Christopher Ciresi |
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A graduate of The French Culinary Institute, Christopher was awarded the Grand Diplôme in pastry arts in 1997. He has worked at La Caravelle and, more recently, at the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue, serving both the Palm Court and The Oak Room. Chef Christopher joined faculty of The French Culinary Institute as a pastry chef-instructor in the spring of 2000. | ||||
Alex Grunert |
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Alex Grunert was born and raised in Vienna, Austria, a city considered by many to be the epicenter of pastry arts. He began his career at the prestigious Hotel Inter-Continental restaurant Vier Jahreszeiten. Nine years later, he became chef de partie of the chocolate department at the world-renowned Viennese pâtisserie Oberlaa Konditorei, where, training under master pastry chef Karl Schuhmacher, Alex continued to develop the high level of finesse and artistry that are hallmarks of his style. In 2000, he moved to New York City to work as pastry sous chef of celebrated chef David Bouley's restaurant Danube; he was promoted to executive pastry chef the following year. In 2003, he took on additional responsibilities as the executive pastry chef of Bouley, the creator of the pastries and desserts for the popular Bouley Bakery, and menu consultant and trainer to Bouley's other ventures, including Upstairs and david bouley Evolution in Miami. In his current role as executive pastry chef of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Alex works alongside chef Dan Barber to create a refined and highly creative menu featuring desserts that are unique, beautifully presented, and truly satisfying to the palate. | ||||
Martin Howard |
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Having grown up in Columbia, Maryland with a mother who baked her own homemade cookies and cakes, pastry has been a lifelong passion for Martin Howard. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he worked with Waldy Malouf at La Cremaillere in Banksville, New York before becoming the pastry chef at Pier House Inn and Beach Club in Key West, Florida. He rejoined Malouf one year later to open Hudson River Club in downtown Manhattan, worked as the executive pastry chef at the Rainbow Room, and helped to open Beacon in Midtown Manhattan and Purdys Homestead in Westchester County. In 2001, Howard joined Restaurant Associates as pastry chef of Brasserie and later assumed his current position at Brasserie 8½. In addition to being named one of Pastry Art & Design's Top Ten Pastry Chefs in 1997 and 1998, Martin has been featured on numerous TV shows, including "FoodNation with Bobby Flay," "Food Network Challenge: Extreme Pastry," the "Today Show," and "Good Morning America." He also sits on the advisory board for the annual Chocolate Show in New York City. | ||||
Matt Lewis |
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Matt Lewis started his chocolate addiction at a very young age. His mother introduced him to the "Chocolate as Dinner" philosophy when he was seven and the "Chocolate as Breakfast" philosophy when he was eight. Peanut butter was added to this regimen when he was nine to increase his protein intake. Gradually, Matt learned to eat regular meals like other children, but he only recently (and grudgingly) gave up eating brownies for lunch. After graduating from the University of Alabama, Matt moved to New York and worked in the varied worlds of theatre, advertising, and internet production. After some long years spent consuming chocolate in a cubicle, Matt decided to leave the world of corporations and conference calls to open Chocolate Bar and to author the Chocolate Bar cookbook. He sold Chocolate Bar in 2004 and shortly thereafter opened Baked with Renato Poliafito. Matt currently spends his days indulging in Baked's wide variety of baked goods and spreading the Baked gospel to the masses. Baked: New Frontiers in Baking will be published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang in October. Baked's new store will open in November in Charleston, South Carolina. | ||||
Victoria Love |
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Victoria Love graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in Theatre Directing and Design then worked for five years as a junior talent agent at the Agency for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. A long-standing passion for cooking led her to enroll at The French Culinary Institute. After graduation she interned at Colette's Cakes, assisting Colette Peters in designing and decorating special occasion cakes. She went on to work as head decorator at Pâtisserie Les Friandises where she was later promoted to kitchen manager and assistant general manager. In May 2001, she was asked to be the sous pastry chef at famed restaurateur Michael O'Keeffe's Water Club. Since being promoted to executive pastry chef in 2004, she is responsible for à la carte dining, Sunday brunch, banquets, and all special occasion cakes. She sits on the Pastry Advisory Board for The French Culinary Institute where she is a guest lecturer and was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award for Excellence in Pastry Arts in 2006. She has twice been named a finalist in the category of Best Confection for PastryScoop.com's Golden Scoop Awards. | ||||
Jennifer McCoy |
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Chicago native Jennifer McCoy was drawn to the kitchen right out of high school, and she quickly enrolled in Kendall College's baking and pastry program. She gained experience in the pastry kitchens of beloved Chicago restaurants, including Gordon, Charlie Trotter's, and Blackbird. After four years of work in pastry, Jennifer began to explore other options and to focus her energy on new fields. Following a year spent in Madrid, Jennifer returned to Chicago where she worked as a buyer for a boutique specialty soap store. Less than a year later she opened her own store, Stinkerbelle, where she crafted homemade soaps and other luxury bath products. But Jennifer soon missed the camaraderie of the kitchen. In 2006, she moved south to New Orleans where chef Emeril Lagasse offered her the position of pastry chef for the post-Hurricane Katrina reopening of Emeril's Delmonico. Jennifer developed the pastry program from the ground up, focusing on signature dish development and in-house preserving programs. She recently moved to New York to become pastry chef of Forge where menu favorites like Rustic Summer Berry Pie and Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts showcase Jennifer's talent for creating classical seasonal desserts. | ||||
Nils Norén |
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Nils Norén is the embodiment of the new international chef: disciplined in the classic sensibilities and driven by immense creativity. Appointed in 2006 after an extensive search, Nils was chosen to lead The FCI's culinary, pastry, bread, and Italian programs. For the previous 10 years, he had been at Aquavit, where Marcus Samuelsson appointed Nils to be executive chef in 2003. There, he strove to solidify the restaurant's place on the culinary map and to show the world what Swedish food and cooking techniques are all about. Prior to joining Aquavit, Chef Nils worked in Stockholm as executive chef at Restaurant Riche, which features a fine dining room, tapas bar, and bistro, and as chef de cuisine at Restaurant KB, one of the country's classic Swedish restaurants in the center of town. He also coordinated cooking classes for Restaurant Akademin. | ||||
Renato Poliafito |
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Renato Poliafito began his career as a designer in New York City after graduating from Skidmore College in 1996. Following years of print and online design work, he felt inclined to entertain his love for coffee and desserts. Being a self-taught cook (with a little inspiration from watching his mom in the kitchen), Renato changed career paths, trading his creative director status for that of café manager. Renato began working for Jack and Grace Lamb of Jewel Bako fame at their café, The Blue Goose, where he learned the intricate tricks of the trade. After a year of intensive training, research, and pinching pennies, Renato teamed with Matt Lewis to open Baked. Together, they work tirelessly to bring the New York masses outrageously delicious desserts made with the highest quality ingredients, and, of course, the perfect cup of coffee. |
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Kee Ling Tong |
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Prior to opening Kee's Chocolates, Kee Ling Tong worked in the corporate industry for more than 10 years. During her studies at The French Culinary Institute she interned at Palladin; upon receiving her pastry degree she worked at Ron Ben-Israel Cakes and Todd English's restaurant Olives. Though she had no formal chocolate experience prior to opening Kee's, her handmade, Asian-inspired creations have received rave reviews from critics. The New York Times, Style, Chocolatier, and New York magazine, to name just a few, have all featured her chocolates. Her chocolates have also appeared on Gourmet's "Diary of a Foodie," Lifetime Real Woman, and " Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." |
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Vicki Wells |
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Vicki Wells, executive pastry chef of the perennially popular restaurants Mesa Grill and Bar Americain, has an impressive and varied background. Inspired by the legendary Madeline Kammen, Vicki left Emerson College to learn from one of Kammen's former instructors at the Cambridge Culinary Institute. She then went abroad to study with the French masters at La Varenne and stage at Michel Rostang in Paris and Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. In the ensuing years, she gained experience in some of New York City's finest restaurants, including Hotel Plaza Athenée, Montrachet, and Le Bernardin to name a few. In 1993, Vicki became an instructor at The French Culinary Institute and was soon named the co-chairperson of the pastry arts department, where she remained for the next six years until Bobby Flay tapped her to lead his restaurants' dessert program. Vicki has revitalized the pastry departments of Mesa Grill and Bar Americain by creating a harmony of flavors between the cuisine and desserts. Her menus incorporate regional American and Mediterranean ingredients that mesh with the themes of Bobby Flay's signature style. |
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Zac Young |
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While employed in the wig department of the Radio City Rockettes, Zac had an epiphany: He would rather be baking cookies than fluffing Santa beards. After graduating with honors from the baking and pastry arts program at the Institute of Culinary Education, Zac went straight to the top, working under Sébastien Rouxel, executive pastry chef of Per Se, and Richard Capizzi at Bouchon Bakery. At Butter Restaurant, Zac uses classic French technique, flavor, and fun to put a creative twist on American desserts. He relies on local and sustainable ingredients to add extra spark to his creations. | ||||
Betty Yip |
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Betty Yip is a self-taught baker hailing from Brooklyn, New York. Though she grew up in a traditional Chinese family where ovens were used for storage space, Betty found her passion in baking and making sweets. Her love and deep appreciation for the culinary arts have shaped her prodigious career path: A college essay on dumplings gained her a Yale degree, and she eagerly left corporate America to work for chef Ming Tsai. Currently, she is having the best time running the Batch kitchen, collaborating frequently with chef Pichet Ong on new recipes for fabulous treats. She likes to spend her free time in search of the perfect chocolate-almond croissant and re-reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels. |
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