Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate
June 27, 2007

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Hi everyone. Welcome to our chat today! I am delighted to introduce MINDY SEGAL from Chicago's HOT CHOCOLATE! Feel free to ask your questions.

<wisey83> Hi Mindy! What kind of formal culinary education do you have?

<mindysegal> I graduated from Kendall College in September of 1989.

<Anna> Do you mind when people apply the term "dessert bar" to your place? There are so many new places being opened by pastry chefs in NYC that also serve savory food. But everyone still calls them dessert bars.

<mindysegal> I don't mind when people apply dessert bar to my place but it's a full service restaurant.

<mindysegal>> I think dessert bars are a cool concept. The best one is Chikalicious.

<Anna> I love Chikalicious!

<Anna> Do you come up with the concepts for the savory food as well?

<mindysegal>> I am responsible for all of the concepts in my restaurant. Savory food from the perspective of a pastry chef is a new concept that I would like to keep moving forward.

<DanaCooks> What desserts are on the docket this week?

<mindysegal>> I am working on a new summer menu. It will be complete next week.

<mindysegal>> I am playing around with a concept called Sweet and Sour Cherries and since blueberries are so beautiful I am making little baby blueberry pies. Nothing better!

<Anna> Do you buy fruit from farmers' markets?

<mindysegal> Yes! I go to the farmers' market four days a week and in the winter I continue to work with small farmers.

<Lei> Hi. I am a pastry chef and I hope to start my own bakery sometime next year. How did you make the leap and do you have any advice?

<mindysegal>> Go to business school and get a good social worker. Just kidding! Learn all that you can about the business!

<mindysegal> Learn front of house and back of house. Ask advice and learn to be humble.

<Aubs> Was it scary to start up your own business?

<mindysegal>> It is the scariest thing I have ever done!

<Aubs> How was business in the beginning and how did you decide to advertise your new cafe?

<mindysegal>> Business when we first opened was CRAZY!

<mindysegal>> I know that my answers are short if anyone wants to email me you can through my website www.hotchocolatechicago.com.

<mindysegal>> There was a two hour wait every night for six months. I didn't speak for three of the six months. We got all of our press from word of mouth.

<mindysegal>> There was a lot of buzz about the restaurant. I was lucky!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> That's great to hear. I love success stories with pastry chefs.

<Raina_PastryScoop> That's amazing! Nice to not have to worry about PR.

<mindysegal>> Thank you.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Can you tell us what some of your top sellers are?

<mindysegal>> My signature dessert at HotChocolate is a chocolate soufflé tart with salted caramel ice cream and house made pretzels.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> That sounds amazing—sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy!

<maryb> How you can achieve a 'caramel,' somewhat crunchy bottom crust on pecan blondies (like Zingerman Deli in Ann Arbor, MI). Any suggestions?

<mindysegal>> Is there a dough on the bottom?

<maryb> No dough on the bottom. The blondie itself cooks a crunchy bottom that is very buttery, almost like the caramel is in the pan first, then the blondie dough bakes into the caramel.

<mindysegal>> I think what happens is they put a caramel pecan goop in the batter and it falls to the bottom.

<maryb> Thanks for the idea. I will try it!

<tintin> Did you go to school for both baking and traditional culinary to establish your sweet and savory concept?

<mindysegal>> I have an associate degree in culinary arts. I did not know I wanted to go into pastry until the day I graduated.

<mindysegal>> But, I have worked in 3 or 4 star restaurants for almost 20 years and surrounded myself with great chefs, kept my eyes on everything, and soaked in all of it!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> We also have Katie on from The French Culinary Institute in case anyone has any questions about cooking schools.

<wisey83> Have you ever worked for a company like Whole Foods or Bristol Farms preparing food/chefing?

<mindysegal>> No, I am not a corporate person! LOL!

<wisey83> That's what I was wondering—what the difference really is between companies such as those and working in a traditional restaurant kitchen.

<mindysegal>> A traditional restaurant setting allows you way more creative freedom and to be yourself.

<Aubs> I am going to start at the Art Institute for Baking and Pastry and hopefully open my own business. Do you have any advice?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Do your research, have a solid business plan, and work in the industry a bit before jumping into opening your own business.

<MichalB> What do you think about herb and spice combinations in chocolate mixtures?

<mindysegal>> I like herbs and spices with chocolate and other things as long as it is done thoughtfully and respectfully.

<diane> What baking advice you can give a personal chef in preparing baked goods for clients?

<mindysegal>> The fresher the better.

<Courtney718> I'm curious. When you're so busy how do you find time to develop and test new recipes?

<mindysegal>> In my sleep, LOL!

<mindysegal>> Seriously, I am constantly thinking and talking about food. The process never stops.

<MichalB> What do you think about Albert Adria's molecular pastry art? Do you like it?

<mindysegal>> I respect it, but I am a purist and that is where I focus my attention

<tintin> What would you say is the most difficult aspect in running your business?

<mindysegal>> My staff. Running the front and the back of the house at the same time. Keeping my staff motivated and happy.

<diane> For transporting baked goods in various stages of completion, do you recommend any particular storage items? Glass or plastic?

<mindysegal>> I recommend clean plastic with lids. Glass breaks and then your product is ruined.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I like to travel with plastic personally. Broken glass in food is too much of a risk to take.

<diane> Good advice, thank you!

<mindysegal>> You're welcome.

<Aubs> What is your favorite thing to eat in your cafe?

<mindysegal>> Right now, I am really into food and beer pairings. I always like a great craft beer and something seasonal at the end of the night.

<mindysegal>> Right now we are making all these different kinds of preserved fruit crumble squares. The fruit is from the farmers' market and they are really good!

<wisey83> How do you maintain your weight testing all of your products?!

<mindysegal>> Stairmaster!

<diane> For a personal chef just starting out, how far in advance can you prepare a simple buttercream frosting?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I like to make buttercream using a Swiss meringue, good quality butter, and pure vanilla extract.

<mindysegal>> I LOVE Swiss meringue too! I use it for my buttercream as well!

<diane> Thank you, Judiaann. How far in advance can you prepare this?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Buttercream can be frozen, thawed, and easily rewhipped. You can also make a basic vanilla and portion some out to flavor with chocolate, peanut butter, coffee, lemon, etc.

<Ester> Do you think it is necessary to attend culinary school or is it better to work you way up the ranks in different bakeries?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I think the best bet is to get proper training (culinary school) and real world experience.

<mindysegal>> Find a great mentor and stay with that mentor for 2-3 years. Culinary schools do not give you the thinking tools it takes to become a pastry chef.

<fci_katie> Attending pastry school allows you to get proper technique under you belt—that way when you start to work for pastry chefs you admire, you can really hit the ground running!

<Ester> Thank you.

<Courtney718> What do you mean by thinking tools?

<mindysegal>> Learning how to multi-task, the proper way to cream, flavor combinations, and basically how to work in a professional kitchen. Those things you can't learn in culinary school.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> You really have to work with some great people. That's the best way to learn.

<mindysegal>> Also, everyone learns differently and you need to find out what is best for you and what your niche is.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> The advice I often give to students when they graduate is to work for as long as they can for the best people they can before accepting a chef position. That kind of education is priceless.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Too often people want to be the big chef right away without taking the time to learn along the way.

<mindysegal>> Agreed.

<Ester> Do you think it matters if you are working specifically in your field of interest to start (such as healthy cooking) or it is more important to learn the basics of baking in general?

<mindysegal>> Always learn the basics first.

<Raina_PastryScoop> It's always good to learn the basics. You need a firm technical foundation.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> You must have a foundation and understanding of the basics before you can experiment and make things your own.

<irnel> What is the proper way to cream anyway?

<mindysegal>> Creaming: butter room temperature. Beat until smooth. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. This forms the structure of the product that you are making.

<mindysegal>> If the butter is too soft you won't form the structure. If the butter is too cold and you don't beat it enough you wont have the proper structure.

<irnel> Thanks, I guess those details can be overlooked in class.

<Dorice234> Do you do externships at HotChocolate?

<mindysegal>> Yes.

<Anna> How many seats is HotChocolate?

<mindysegal>> 65 seats at HotChocolate.

<Dorice234> Are there other pastry chefs that you like or have worked with in Chicago?

<mindysegal>> I think my old assistant from MK, Kate Neuman, is a great pastry chef! And Elissa Narrow is great too.

<fps09> If you can't attend The FCI for pastry school where would you go?

<fps09> What about the French Pastry School in Chicago?

<mindysegal>> Kendall College.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I'm a graduate of The FCI. They have a great program. They focus on teaching students techniques so you can think beyond following recipes. They also stress the importance of understanding the classics to build a foundation for creativity.

<fci_katie> The FCI has one of the best programs in the country (I'm a graduate too) but there are a number of good schools and remember: wherever you attend pastry school you'll get out of the program what you put into it. Work hard, pay attention, etc.

<mindysegal>> I agree with Katie.

<wisey82> What's your absolute favorite pastry dish to prepare?

<mindysegal>> I love working with ice cream and right now I really like making pies, but I constantly try to evolve.

<Aubs> Do you know of any specialty cake businesses in Utah that would hire on a starter? I love to decorate cakes and cookies.You can be so creative.

<mindysegal>> I don't know anyone in Utah. My suggestion is to research online.

<Anna> How long did it take you from deciding to open and actually opening your doors?

<mindysegal>> It took me 5 years to conceive and get mentally ready. And it took from signing the lease about 6 months.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> To open and run a successful business you really have to have a business head as well, or at least you need to partner with someone who does.

<mindysegal>> Another hard thing about opening your own business is bringing your idea to fruition.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> We have been talking about all the hard parts of opening a business (and for good reason!), but I'm sure Mindy would agree that it's also probably one of the most rewarding experiences ever!

<mindysegal>> Yes, AMEN, AMEN to Judiaann.

<Ester> What do you think about niche bakeries? Gluten-free, vegan, etc...?

<mindysegal>> I think niche bakeries are great. If they can support themselves on their niche.

<Ester> Cool, thanks.

<wisey82> If you had to do it all over again, would you get a degree in baking/pastry or has your culinary arts degree really come in handy? Do you feel like you could still do what you're doing today without the culinary degree?

<mindysegal>> I don't think it has anything to do with my culinary degree for me. It is about experience in the field.

<wisey82> Do you feel like you could or would have opened HotChocolate without your degree?

<mindysegal>> It's hard to say the path I took led me to Hot Chocolate.

<mindysegal>> I am happy with my education. I wish that I would have staged more all over the country when I was younger.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I know a successful pastry chef that still does regular stages to keep on learning. She also stages in savory kitchens however. A recent dessert was inspired from a day of making soup at Chez Panisse.

<mindysegal>> I very rarely call myself a chef. I am a "cook" and I am totally committed to my craft.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I think it's important to note that the most successful pastry chefs are the ones that also consider themselves "cooks" in every sense of that word.

<wisey82> How hard do you feel it is to get a job in a professional kitchen, whether it be a traditional culinary kitchen, or a bakery, without a degree?

<mindysegal>> As long as you show desire and passion and commitment, I don't know anyone who would not hire you.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> You can certainly have a career without formal training but it will most likely take you longer to gain the knowledge and experience.

<mindysegal>> My pastry education in culinary school taught me nothing. I learned everything, I mean my basics, from my mentor.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Yes, let's not lessen the importance of HARD WORK, DESIRE, WILLINGNESS TO LEARN, AND PASSION.

<Dorice234> Who was your mentor?

<mindysegal>> Judy Contino, Charlie Trotter, and Michael Kornick.

<wisey82> Gosh, it's hard to take the $40,000 leap into school when you know that you can work for 4-5 years gaining experience, and potentially get the same job you would if you had a formal education.

<mindysegal>> Do you have any experience?

<wisey82> No, I'm a home cook with the knowledge that cooking is what I'm supposed to do with my life.

<mindysegal>> Then go for it! Where do you live? I will hire you.

<wisey82> Minneapolis.

<wisey82> Wow!

<mindysegal>> I know some people there.

<wisey82> Who do you know here?

<wisey82> I suppose I can email you too so I'm not dominating this board. Sorry folks.

<mindysegal>> Seth Bixsby Doherty, Michelle Geyer, Todd Stein. They are all chefs.

<irnel> I am so glad to hear you say "you learned everything." I myself enrolled in pastry school but felt I didn't learn anything I didn't already know. I am debating whether to enroll in another pastry school (French Pastry School, Chicago) or just try to get a job or intern with a good pastry chef. What do you think?

<mindysegal>> Find a great mentor!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Also, there is the factor of talent. Two people can have the same training, experience, etc. and there will always be one person who is just more talented. It's a tough thing to hear but it's very true.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Mindy is obviously very talented at what she does.

<mindysegal> Thanks!

<Dorice234> Were you the chef at Charlie Trotters?

<mindysegal>> I was the pastry chef at CT.

<Dorice234> Your current style seems very different than CT's, did you try and move away from what they do there?

<mindysegal>> I was very young when I worked at CT, so I was still developing my style and Charlie helped me shape what I do now.

<Dorice234> How old where you when they offered you the position?

<mindysegal>> I was 26. Young and immature.

<mindysegal>> Just to let everyone know, I am looking for a person who is committed and wants to learn and wants to work with me in my restaurant for a few years.

<mindysegal>> Anyone interested?

<Raina_PastryScoop> I wish I was in Chicago. I'd take you up on it!

<fci_katie> Wow, what a great opportunity!!

<wisey82> How soon are you looking for someone to begin? Or is this kind of an open-ended opportunity?

<Aubs> I wish I lived in Chicago, I would LOVE to come work for you.

<mindysegal>> I am looking for someone to start in September.

<wisey82> Wow, wow, wow...

<Raina_PastryScoop> Wisey, that gives you 2 months to move to Chicago ;)

<mindysegal>> Hahahaha . . .

<wisey82> Ha! I know! I have a lot of friends and family there. So tempting!

<irnel> I am very much interested in working for you. I live in northwest Indiana.

<mindysegal>> Anyone who is interested should call the restaurant and reference this chat.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> We will be posting a complete transcript of this chat on our site in the coming weeks for those who tuned in late.

<tintin> I'm currently an architect with approximately 13 years as an amateur baker and cook. I'm planning a career change to baking/culinary with the final goal to open my own business. I'm thinking of taking short classes in between my work. Where would you suggest I begin? I am currently located in the San Francisco area. Thank you.

<mindysegal>> Greystone.

<sweetthangn85> I would definitely work with you. Are there any requirements to work with you in your restaurant for a few years?

<mindysegal>> Good attitude, sense of humor, talent, desire to learn and, number one: PASSION and COMMITMENT.

<sweetthangn85> That is totally me!

<Raina_PastryScoop> Someone should take the job—Mindy sounds like an amazing person to work for!

<mindysegal>> Contact me at the restaurant then.

<sweetthangn85> I definitely will! Thank you for the chat!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> What's next for you? Any plans for a cookbook?

<mindysegal>> What's next? I am working on a cookbook, branding some of my product, and opening another business.

<Raina_PastryScoop> Busy, busy!

<mindysegal>> Yes, busy!

<Dorice234> When will your cookbook come out?

<mindysegal>> Not sure when yet.

<Aubs> Where are you going to open your new business?

<mindysegal>> I am thinking Milwaukee.

<diane> What advice can you offer new food writers?

<mindysegal>> Go to culinary school!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> To be a good food writer you must first be a good writer. The food knowledge is helpful but it cannot save bad writing.

<mindysegal>> The food knowledge is very important!

<diane> I write for my job at present but have always loved food and cooking. I took a class at CIA. Any other advice?

<mindysegal>> Start eating...

<mindysegal>> You can't write about food unless you know about it!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> That's true but if you can't write you can't write about food.

<Raina_PastryScoop> You should also have something to say! So much food writing is kind of dull.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Unfortunately, we're just about out of time.

<wisey82> Thanks so much for all the information, Mindy!

<diane> Thank you!

<mindysegal>> No problem... it was fun!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Please be sure to visit HotChocolate the next time you're in Chicago!

<wisey82> Will do!

<Aubs> Thank you, everyone!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Thank you everyone for joining us today.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> But most of all, THANK YOU MINDY for being such a great chat guest and for sharing your wisdom with all of us.

<mindysegal>> You're welcome!

<Courtney718> Thank you.

<mindysegal>> Thanks for listening in, everyone.

<MichalB> Thank you

<fci_katie> Great chat, Mindy!

<Anna> Thanks!

<lei> Thanks!

<tintin> Thank you!!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Okay we have to let Mindy get back to making good food now. Thank you again!

<mindysegal>> Back to work!