Best New Pastry Chefs 2013
Photo © Andrew Thomas Lee
Melanie Durant
Empire State South, Atlanta
Why She Won The majority of Durant's desserts start with a vegetable or herb. She builds from there, using old-fashioned techniques (no hydrocolloids) to achieve fantastic flavors and combinations.
Photo © Eric Wolfinger
Stephanie Prida
Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
Why She Won Prida creates delicious, beautiful, complex desserts. Her classical training at The Elysian and Blackbird in Chicago makes her a technical whiz, while Manresa's location, near the central California coast, puts her in touch with some of the best raw ingredients in the world.
Photo © Nicole Franzen
Bob Truitt
Ai Fiori, New York City, and The Altamarea Group
Why He Won Using ideas learned in avant-garde restaurants, Truitt creates witty, magical plates like this take on "toad in the hole," which looks like a savory egg dish but is actually passion fruit cream with caramelized brioche.
Photo © Eric Kleinberg Photography
Sarah Jordan
Boka and GT Fish & Oyster, Chicago
Why She Won Without any formal training, Jordan has created her own bold, risk-taking style. Her signature is using savory elements—flavoring caramel, for instance, with ingredients like miso, soy or beer.
Photo © Michael Piazza
Monica Glass
Clio and Uni Sashimi Bar, Boston
Why She Won Pretty, dainty and feminine, Glass's French-inflected desserts are exquisitely balanced. Each plate contains several components that show just the right amount of restraint.