The Golden Scoop Award winners will be announced at a special ceremony attended by pastry chefs and press at The French Culinary Institute in New York City.
CLASSIC VERSUS AVANT-GARDE
The Direction of Desserts
Seven o'clock
INTERNATIONAL CULINARY THEATER
The French Culinary Institute
462 Broadway at Grand Street
New York City
By Invitation
The evening will begin with a panel discussion, Classic Versus Avant-Garde: The Direction of Desserts, moderated by Michael Batterberry, founding editor & publisher of Food Arts, with guest pastry chefs Karen DeMasco (Craft), Alex Stupak (wd~50), Gina DePalma (Babbo), Will Goldfarb (Room 4 Dessert), and The FCI's director of technology, David Arnold.
Afterwards, we'll announce the winners of the 2007 Golden Scoop Awards and celebrate with a reception of sweets, hors d'oeuvres, and sparkling Prosecco.
Click here to read about contest eligibility and judging.
Click here to read about last year's Golden Scoop Awards.
Click here to request a copy of the 2007 Golden Scoop Awards Winner's Press Release (available after June 19th).
PANELISTS
David Arnold Director of Culinary Technology,The FCI 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 Arnold 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. Arnold is also the Contributing Editor for Equipment and Food Technology for Food Arts.
Karen DeMasco Pastry Chef, Craft Passionate for baking and cooking, and looking to change careers, Karen DeMasco graduated from the New York Restaurant School with a culinary degree in 1994. After externing with Chef Scott Bryan at Alison on Dominick, she went on to work in top restaurants including One If By Land, Two If By Sea, Chanterelle, and Gramercy Tavern, where she worked under Claudia Fleming. In 1997, Karen left Gramercy Tavern to become pastry chef at Fore Street Restaurant in Portland, Maine. In 1998, she moved back to New York to be pastry chef at Della Femina, earning high praise from The New York Times restaurant critic William Grimes. In 2001, Karen became the opening pastry chef at Tom Colicchio's Craft. Since Craft's opening, Tom Colicchio has opened Craftbar, and 'wichcraft, where she is also in charge of desserts. Karen's desserts are uncomplicated yet set off by a refinement developed over years of classical training. She has been featured in New York magazine, The New York Times, Chocolatier, Pastry Art & Design, The New York Observer, and Time Out New York.
Gina DePalma Pastry Chef,Babbo
Born in New York and raised in Virginia, Gina DePalma credits her close-knit Italian family for instilling in her a love and understanding of good food using the best ingredients. Her training began at home and continued with her graduation in 1994 from the professional culinary program at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's New York Cooking School). After completing an apprenticeship in the pastry kitchen of Chanterelle, she went on to work at Gramercy Tavern before becoming the pastry chef at The Cub Room. In 1998, Chef Mario Batali hired DePalma to open Babbo Ristorante and Enoteca where her creativity shines forth through the marriage of seasonal ingredients with traditional Italian desserts. In addition to her many television and print appearances, DePalma's numerous accolades include nominations for Outstanding Pastry Chef by the James Beard Foundation in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Her first cookbook will be published by W.W. Norton & Co. this year.
Will Goldfarb Pastry Chef, Room 4 Dessert Hailing from Port Washington, New York, Will Goldfarb's first brush with the kitchen came when he worked as a server during college at Duke University. To avoid law school, he moved into the pastry kitchen, escaping to Paris to train with Gerard Mulot and other top pâtissiers before moving on to Italy, Spain, and Australia to work with culinary legends Ferran and Albert Adrià and Tetsuya Wakuda, among others. He was the pastry chef of the Ryland Inn in New Jersey and Morimoto in Philadelphia. In New York City, he worked with Paul Liebrandt at Atlas and Papillon and Shea Gallante at Cru. In January of 2006, Goldfarb opened the dessert bar Room 4 Dessert, showcasing technical, thought-provoking, and delicious desserts made using cutting-edge technology and ingredients. Goldfarb is one of the founders of AKWA, a global movement that seeks to shape the future of cuisine. Through willpowder.net he also distributes a line of hard-to-find specialty ingredients. In 2006 he was named one of New York City's Rising Stars by StarChefs.com. He is currently a 2007 James Beard Foundation nominee for Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Alex Stupak Pastry Chef,wd~50 Alex Stupak's desserts have been recognized as some of the most provocative in the country. He has garnered much praise for his work which display a bold yet perfectly considered approach to flavor while utilizing some of the most cutting edge techniques in the industry. Most recently, he was the pastry chef at Chicago's famed Alinea working with executive chef Grant Achatz. Stupak is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has worked in Chicago's four-star restaurant Tru and the Federalist and Clio in Boston where he was named Best Pastry Chef by Boston magazine in 2003. In August of 2006, Stupak joined wd~50 in New York City as pastry chef.
MODERATOR Michael Batterberry, founding editor and publisher, Food Arts
The Golden Scoop Awards were made possible with support from
