Preceded by a panel discussion

The Rise in Popularity of the Dessert Cookbook

with Michael Batterberry of Food Arts
and Karen DeMasco, formerly of Craft; Pichet Ong, P*ONG;
Kate Zuckerman, Chanterelle; and Jacques Torres, Jacques Torres Chocolate

Followed by
A musical interlude with Chocolatina, Queen of the Dessert
Awards presentation by editor-in-chef Judiaann Woo and Dominique Ansel,
executive pastry chef of Daniel and winner of Best Dessert Menu for 2007
A celebratory reception of sweets, hors d’oeuvres, and cocktails.

PANELISTS

Karen DeMasco, Former Pastry Chef, Craft
Passionate for cooking and looking to change careers, Karen DeMasco earned her culinary degree from the New York Restaurant School in 1994. She worked in many top restaurants including Alison on Dominick; One If By Land, Two If By Sea; Chanterelle; and Gramercy Tavern before moving to Maine to become pastry chef at Fore Street Restaurant. She returned to New York to head up the pastry kitchen of Della Femina. In 2001, Karen became the opening pastry chef at Tom Colicchio's Craft and, later, Craftbar. She has been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Chocolatier, Pastry Art & Design, and Time Out New York. She was the only pastry chef to be included in New York's Best Chefs 2003, and in 2005, she received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Karen is currently at work on her first cookbook.

Pichet Ong, Pastry Chef/Owner, P*ONG
Pichet Ong is a New Yorker who grew up in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. As a self-taught chef, Pichet utilizes his childhood and professional culinary experiences, as well as his background in architecture and design, to create innovative desserts that are whimsical and visually appealing. He has worked in the kitchens of Olives in Boston and Jean Georges and Tabla in New York City, and he was RM's opening pastry chef, as well as the consulting chef for Jean-Georges Vongerichten's 66 and Spice Market. In 2005 he was named a Rising Star by StarChefs.com and one of Pastry Art & Design's Top Ten Pastry Chefs. In April 2007, Pichet opened P*ONG , a West Village restaurant that offers a mix of sweet and savory dishes created with seasonal ingredients. Earlier this year, in the space next door, he opened Batch, a bakery featuring American treats inspired by the flavors of Asia. His cookbook The Sweet Spot, which adapts the use of Asian ingredients and techniques to the Western kitchen, was published in May 2007.

Kate Zuckerman, Pastry Chef, Chanterelle
Kate Zuckerman, pastry chef at New York City's Chanterelle since 1999, is guided by an overriding belief in the centrality of simple, pure, complementary flavors. Her creations have made her one of the most acclaimed pastry chefs of her generation. She began her culinary apprenticeship in Boston at Biba and The Bentonwood Bakery and subsequently worked in Paris, and top kitchens such as Firefly in San Francisco and Picholine in New York City. In 2005, Zuckerman was named one of the Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Art & Design; her desserts have been described by the New York Times as a "life-changing experience." Inspired by her experiences in some of America’s top kitchens and culinary travels around the world, her cookbook The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle (published in October 2006) enriches readers with detailed and instructive recipes, fascinating histories of the pastry kitchen’s key ingredients, and expert insight into the science and techniques behind baking.

MODERATOR
Michael Batterberry, founding editor and publisher, Food Arts