Like Ginger Rogers doing all the things backward and in excessive heels, pastry cooks are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Our nominees for CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Pastry Chef of the Yr mix encyclopedic information of flavors with scientific know-how and a mind for lovely element.
This 12 months’s race is tighter than ever, however just one carb star will make the minimize. We’ll crown the winner at our annual Tastemaker Awards ceremony on April 10 at Briscoe Museum. There’s solely every week left to snag Early Chook tickets for a reduced value of $60 for common admission and $99 VIP (with add-ons like early admission and a devoted bar), so act earlier than costs go up March 19.
Learn what makes every contender particular under, then meet up with all our nominees by following our particular editorial sequence.
With out additional ado, listed here are the seven nominees for San Antonio’s Pastry Chef of the Yr:
Alessia Benavides, ChocolatlAfter constructing a profitable on-line enterprise, Benavides opened a brick-and-mortar in February. Thank goodness! Her gleaming bonbons should be seen in particular person to get the total impact. The geometric bars peacock with delicate ornament and surprising flavors like guava, Speculaas (a Dutch shortbread cookie), and pistachio kunafa — her tackle the viral Dubai chocolate pattern.
Elise Russ, ClementineRuss’ signature dessert, a chocolate clementine crunch bar, has many parts, together with two layers of mousse, crispy praline, sherbet, and glaçage. It eats like a cherished childhood reminiscence. Loads of pastry cooks current extra razzle-dazzle on the plate, creating baubles as a substitute of desserts. Russ is aware of the true effort ought to be saved in making one thing that seems easy.
Jessica Philpot, Additional FineA pox upon the espresso store muffin, the plastic-wrapped dullards of the pastry world. It takes ingenuity to make it distinctive. Philpot escapes the all-purpose rut by subbing in earthy buckwheat flour. Banana brings out the nuttiness whereas easing among the heft. It is Coca-Cola versus RC, Beyoncé versus LaTavia, and the rationale why San Antonio ought to by no means settle for pale imitations.
José and David Cácares, La PanaderíaWe’re certain no ego was concerned when the brothers Cácares picked their easy enterprise title. Greater than a decade later, it has develop into future. The 4 areas of this homegrown chain at the moment are the Alamo Citybakery for artisan sourdough bread. The true problem is making it previous the pastry case with out loading a field filled with kouign-amann and flaky empanadas.
Manny Martinez, The Grim BakersSan Antonio is a famously haunted metropolis, filled with city legends and ghost tales. So, it is smart that one of many metropolis’s most achieved bakers can be one of many spookiest. Along with his spouse, Monique Martinez, Manny’s darkish aesthetic resonates lengthy after Halloween. Suppose Krampus donuts for Christmas or goth heart-shaped cookies for Valentine’s Day.
Sophie Jeffery, Unfold the LoavesJeffery whips up a rotating choice of sweets every week, from chocolate galettes to cherry lemonade cookies. However the Previous City Helotes store makes a speciality of bread. From braided challah to ethereal focaccia, each slice makes sandwiches extra spectacular. It is much more awe-inspiring that Jeffery realized the artwork of bread baking throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tavel Bristol-Joseph, NicosiOne would possibly name Bristol-Joseph a dessert thinker. A whiz at confectionery, he reinterprets the final course as the principle course, exploring umami, sourness, and acid. Thinkers have looked for the which means of life for the reason that time earlier than buttons. We have discovered it carrying elastic-waisted pants a lot nearer to house.
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The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is delivered to you by The Yuengling Firm, PicMe Occasions, Audio Visible Consultations, and extra to be introduced. A portion of proceeds will profit our nonprofit associate, Culinaria.
