Foodie Pleasure

This past Monday, we broke all the rules and ate dessert first as we indulged on an assortment of treats at the twenty-first annual Dessert Professional magazine Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America event hosted by the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). Ten chefs from around the country were honored for their culinary talents and Richard Grausman, Founder & Chairman of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), was selected as this year’s Hall of Fame Honoree. The 2014 winners will be featured in the August issue of Dessert Professional, the nation’s leading food service publication for the pastry, baking, ice cream and chocolate industries.

We were among the 350 guests who moved from kitchen to kitchen, sampling the chefs’ signature desserts. Check out a sample of what we ate:

Assorted chocolates from Guittard Chocolate

Pistachio Brittle & White Peach Mousse with Griotte Macarpone Sorbet by George Berger, Chocolate Fashion

Chocolate Mousse by Joshua Johnson, Executive Pastry Chef, Vanilla Patisserie

Derrick Poirier Pastry Chef for Valrhona Chocolate

Coconut Lime Dacquoise With Mango Olive Jelly Coconut Mousse by Ebow Dadzie Pastry Chef, NY Marriott Marquis

Cherry Tart by Ghaya Oliveira Executive Pastry Chef at Restaurant Daniel

Macarons by Jennifer Yee, Executive Pastry Chef at Lafayette

Assorted mini eclairs by Jennifer Yee, Executive Pastry Chef at Lafayette

Chocolate Espresso CrËme Brule with Bourbon Vanilla Gelato by Rudi Weider, Master Pastry Chef, Hilton San Diego Bayfron

Besides treating ourselves to multiple desserts, we met interesting people, caught up with friends and even got a little chef-struck when we ran into Chef Russell Jackson, a contestant from Food Network Star’s 9th Season.

Treat yourself to other pics from the event by visiting http://thechefsconnection.com/top-10-pastry-chefs-america/. You won’t be disappointed– but you might have to run out for the nearest dessert!