The People's Best New Pastry Chef: West Region
Francis Ang
Restaurant Fifth Floor (See menu)
Location San Francisco, CA
Culinary School City College of San Francisco
Background Restaurant Gary Danko (San Francisco), Crowne Plaza Foster City (Foster City, CA)
Quintessential Dessert Cantaloupe semifreddo with molasses, tarragon meringue and vanilla salt
Laura Cronin
Restaurant Perbacco (See menu)
Location San Francisco, CA
Culinary School Johnson & Wales University (Providence, RI)
Background Zero Zero, Thorough Bread and Pastry (San Francisco); Brownie Points Bakery (Summit, NJ)
Quintessential Dessert Pesche ripiene: stuffed peaches filled with amaretti, toasted marcona almonds, honey caramel and verbena gelato
Baruch Ellsworth
Location Seattle, WA
Culinary School California Culinary Academy (San Francisco)
Background Benu, The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Campton Place Restaurant (San Francisco)
Quintessential Dessert Milk chocolate and banana mille-feuille with caramel and peanut butter
Jessica Entzel
Restaurant Morimoto Napa (See menu)
Location Napa, CA
Culinary School Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts (Mendota Heights, MN)
Background Gordon Ramsay at The London, Spice Market (New York City); 20.21 (Minneapolis)
Quintessential Dessert Coconut dacquoise with pickled pineapple, mustard seed and pineapple ginger sorbet
Joshua Graves
Restaurant Ray’s and Stark Bar (See menu)
Location Los Angeles, CA
Culinary School California School of Culinary Arts (Pasadena, CA)
Background District, The Mercantile, Casa (Los Angeles)
Quintessential Dessert Pink lady apples with almond streusel, Grafton two-year cheddar cheese and vanilla bourbon ice cream
Rachel King
Restaurant Searsucker (See menu)
Location San Diego, CA
Culinary School San Diego Culinary Institute (La Mesa, CA)
Background Nine-Ten, Blueprint Cafe, Bertrand at Mister A’s (San Diego)
Quintessential Dessert Cinnamon sugar doughnuts with malted dark chocolate cream
Robin Kloess
Location San Francisco, CA
Culinary School City College of San Francisco
Background Prospect, Jardinière (San Francisco)
Quintessential Dessert Dark chocolate crema with Meyer lemon, salted shortbread and olive oil sorbetto
Christina Olufson
Location West Hollywood, CA
Culinary School Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts (Pasadena, CA)
Background A.O.C. Wine Bar and Restaurant, Tavern (Los Angeles)
Quintessential Dessert Grilled fig leaf panna cotta with walnuts, roasted figs, basil and melon sorbet
Lynette Pflueger
Restaurant Chef Mavro (See menu)
Location Honolulu, HI
Culinary School The Art Institute of California—Los Angeles (Santa Monica, CA)
Background Santé (Spokane, WA), Fontainebleau Miami Beach (Miami Beach), La Goulue (Bal Harbour, FL)
Quintessential Dessert Island Madre chocolate crisped with black walnut, truffle white chocolate, tarragon ganache, pear coulis and Molokai black salt
David Rodriguez
Restaurant Providence (See menu)
Location Los Angeles, CA
Culinary School California School of Culinary Arts (Pasadena, CA)
Background Red Medicine, XIV (Los Angeles)
Quintessential Dessert Sablé Breton with crème fraîche, chestnut jam and vanilla mousse
Alissa Rozos
Restaurant St. Jack (See menu)
Location Portland, OR
Culinary School Johnson & Wales University (Denver)
Background Clarklewis, Bluehour (Portland, OR); Daniel (New York City)
Quintessential Dessert Baked Alaska with caramelized pear ice cream, pear sorbet and toasted meringue with poached quince
Jill Severson
Restaurant MistralKitchen (See menu)
Location Seattle, WA
Culinary School The French Culinary Institute (New York City)
Background Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York City), the Fairmont Olympic Hotel (Seattle)
Quintessential Dessert Lemongrass semifreddo with citrus meringue, mint syrup and grapefruit granita
Matthew Tinder
Restaurant Coi, Plum (See menu)
Location Oakland, CA
Culinary School Self-taught
Background Saison, Campton Place Restaurant (San Francisco); The Restaurant at Meadowood (St. Helena, CA)
Quintessential Dessert Whipped coconut, blood orange, rhubarb, olive oil
Megan Vargas
Location Portland, OR
Culinary School Western Culinary Institute (Portland, OR)
Background Mezzaluna Fine Catering, internship at Higgins (Portland, OR)
Quintessential Dessert Canutos de quinoa y maracuya: crisp quinoa studded cannoli stuffed with passion fruit mousse, mango-lemongrass sorbet and caramel
*NOTE: Many pastry chefs change their menus frequently; “quintessential desserts” may not always be available.