In today’s episode, you’ll hear from world renowned pastry chef, author, and culinary consultant François Payard. Born in Nice, he’s a third generation French pastry chef who’s worked in some of the biggest names in hospitality, including Le Bernardin (lebernardinny) and DANIEL (@restaurantdaniel) in New York City. His career was launched in Paris with Michelin Guide favorites, La Tour d’Argent and Lucas Carton.

Payard discusses what it was like as a child growing up in a family bakery, and how he was inspired to pave his own pathway into pastry. You’ll hear what he’s learned from working in some of the most revered kitchens in the world, and his perception of the evolution of pastry, and the kitchen work environment, over the past two decades. He also shares how he’s learned to balance the desire for creativity and the need to conform when you’re working for and with others. 
What you'll learn with Pastry Chef François Payard

François Payard grew up in a bakery (3:13)
What it’s like working in the best restaurant in the world (5:32)
Thinking like a chef versus thinking like a pastry chef (6:15)
Selling pastries in a restaurant versus in a bakery (7:19)
The restraints and rewards of consulting (10:34)
François Payard lives in the future and accepts challenges as they come (12:32)
Pastry chefs worth admiring (15:27)
How the art of pastry has evolved (17:10)
Advice for aspiring pastry chefs (20:42)
Adapting the farm to table concept to desserts (22:31)
Francois Payard sources of inspiration (26:32)
The current climate of hospitality in New York (30:27)
Thoughts on celebrity chef culture and social media (33:05)
The inspiration and motivation behind being a chef (36:20)
His junk food obsession (37:21)
Inspiring cookbooks (38:46)
A restaurant tour of New York (40:59)
His next big dream (43:41)

Links to other episodes featuring Pastry Chefs
Conversation with Pastry Chef Erin Kanagy-Loux (Brooklyn)

Interview with Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour (Miami)

Conversation with Pastry Chef Philip Speer (Austin)

Interview with Baker Matthieu Cabon (Houston)

 Conversation with Pastry Chef Mark Welker

Interview with Pastry Chef Emily Spurlin (Chicago)
Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)


Jeremy Umansky in Cleveland




3 Chefs in Austin - What is more important: techniques or creativity?




Misti Norris in Dallas




Carlo Lamagna in Portland

#gallery-1 {
margin: auto;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-item {
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
}
#gallery-1 img {
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
}
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {
margin-left: 0;
}
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */





Caramel flan by François Payard





Orange tart by François Payard





Paris Brest by François Payard





Sphere chocolate by François Payard




Click to tweet


That's the problem we have in pastry, we always know how to make a large quantity. And when anybody asks me for recipes for pie, I don't even know- I have to look at the cookbook.

Click To Tweet





As a chef, like most chefs, we like to challenge ourselves. So we can take on a lot of challenges, and that makes the difference. I don’t live in the past, I live in the future.
Click To Tweet





It’s not about how many followers you have, it’s about how many customers buy your produce.

Click To Tweet





Everything in life you learn from making mistakes, and you cannot blame anybody else for your mistake. You just have to learn and move on and that's it.

Click To Tweet





When you work for someone, what you have to do is fit the concept. Everything has to be in energy and in synergy.
Click To Tweet