Top 10 Pastry Chefs by Dessert Professional Magazine

I always love attending the annual event celebrating the top 10 pastry chefs in America by Dessert Professional in New York City. I have attended this event religiously over the past decade and have to say this year was by far one of my favorites; a walk-around tasting of desserts from some of the most talented chefs in the nation accompanied by wine and champagne.

The desserts were decadent, innovative, and left everyone wanting more. One dessert that stood out was the strawberry crumble with caramel mou by pastry chef Thomas Raquel of Le Bernardin in New York City. The strawberry crumble was accompanied by liquid nitrogen, adding a layer of mystery to the delicious dessert: a dramatic display enhancing the strawberry crumble.

Each pastry chef used their creativity and pushed the boundaries with what a pastry chef can do creating scrumptious, edible works of art. Here are some of the highlights of the evening.

2015 Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America:

LISA BAILEY, D Bar, Denver, CO and San Diego, CA

MICHELLE GAYER, Salty Tart, Minneapolis, MN

JIMMY LECLERC, Laduree USA, New York, NY

SALVATORE MARTONE, Atelier Joel Robuchon, Las Vegas, NV

MAURA METHENY, Norman Love Confections, Ft. Meyers, FL

THOMAS RAQUEL, Le Bernardin, New York, NY

THIAGO SILVA, EMM Group, New York, NY

MIROSLAV USKOKOVIC, Gramercy Tavern, New York, NY

WILLIAM WERNER, Craftsman & Wolves, San Francisco, CA

ZAC YOUNG, David Burke Group, New York, NY

The Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America was held on Monday, June 1, 2015 at La Venue in New York City. The event was presented by Guittard Chocolate, KitchenAid, Beurremont, and Nielsen-Massey.