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    Pastry Chefs of the Year

    Looking for the sweetest of the sweets, Tastemaker Awards spotlight Pastry Chef of the Year

    Eric Sandler
    Apr 21, 2016 | 9:49 am

    In a world where chefs are frequently associated with quick decisions and impulsive creations, pastry chefs are a breed apart. Creating the right combination of flavors is certainly an art, but creating pastries, for example, whether a cake rises or chocolate tempers, is definitely science.

     

    The finalists for the 2016 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Pastry Chef of the Year understand that balance between art and science. Whether at their own business or working with others, they're able to serve utterly delectable desserts that are expertly crafted. For those working at restaurants, their creations have to be consistent with that establishment's broader aesthetic.

     

    No wonder our panel of restaurant industry insiders selected them. Please join us to celebrate with them May 18 at the Asia Society.

     

     Jillian Bartolome, Common Bond
    That Common Bond has been thriving recently since its acquisition by legendary Houston restaurateur Johnny Carrabba should come as no surprise. Beyond customer-friendly measures like adding parking and selling pastries half-off starting at 4 pm, Carrabba has kept the bakery’s key chefs in the fold. None are more important than Bartolome, who was hand-picked by founding chef Roy Shvartzapel to be his right hand and brings a Michelin-starred resume that includes stints at Cyrus and working for celebrity chef Thomas Keller’s casual outpost Bouchon.

     

    Under Bartolome’s direction, the signature croissants remain remarkably tall and light, the chocolate chip cookies still have just the right pinch of salt, and the macarons are as delightfully crunchy as ever. All the talk about “the best bakery in America” may have faded, but recent additions to the menu demonstrate that Common Bond is still operating at a very high level, and Bartolome is a big reason why.

     

     Victoria Dearmond, Underbelly
    Underbelly chef/owner Chris Shepherd once referred to Dearmond as his “23-year old grandmother” for the way she keeps everything on track at the restaurant. She recently turned 25, but "pastry chef" still doesn’t begin to describe the range of her responsibilities.

     

    In addition to overseeing the production of Underbelly signatures like vinegar pie and the seasonal fried pie, Dearmond leads Underbelly’s stand at the weekly Urban Harvest Farmers Market. Being friendly and cordial to market customers at 8 am has to be challenging for a chef who likely didn’t leave service until midnight or later, but she handles it with aplomb. That pleasant demeanor also makes her a frequent presence at off-site events, where she ensures the food meets Shepherd’s standards while he’s greeting patrons.

     

     Alyssa Dole, Coltivare
    Prior to joining Coltivare, diners might have known Dole as the paleo-eating pastry chef at paleo-friendly restaurant Corner Table. In 2014, she made the jump to Coltivare and quickly assumed oversight of all pastries at Revival Market, too. While these days she’s more likely to use regular flour than the coconut version, both restaurants’ emphasis on seasonal ingredients keeps her on her toes. Best then to enjoy treats like her wood-roasted strawberry crostata or meyer lemon panna cotta while you can — soon enough, they’ll be swapped out for something else.

     

     Karen Man, Oxheart
    As noted by Oxheart chef/owner Justin Yu in an interview with CultureMap, Man has stepped away from day to day production at the acclaimed downtown restaurant. Still, she maintains a watchful eye on the restaurant’s signature breads and desserts, and they remain some of the most delightful parts of meals there. Recently, she’s stepped out for pop-ups with both Fluff Bake Bar’s Rebecca Masson and former J.W. Marriott executive chef Erin Smith. That both attracted serious crowds serves as a testament to the number of people who have enjoyed Man’s cooking, and the potential market that exists if she ever steps out on her own.

     

     Rebecca Masson, Fluff Bake Bar
    In the last year, Masson finally opened her Midtown brick and mortar, which gives her customers more consistent access to her nostalgia-inspired cookies and cakes. The shop’s tidy beer and wine list also makes it a perfect after-dinner spot for a composed dessert or a place to pre-game for the sugar obsessed.

     

    Even better, she’s used the shop as a venue to host visiting chefs — everyone from Chris Shepherd and barbecue legend Wayne Mueller to seriously talented folks from San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas — for both savory and sweet pop-ups. Houston diners may not have known they needed a freshly baked croissant with a piece of freshly sliced brisket tucked inside until Masson’s collaborations made such temptations available, but they’ve been lining up to get a taste.

     

     Samantha Mendoza, Killen’s Steakhouse
    Ronnie Killen may have vowed to “put the Killen back in Killen’s Steakhouse” when he relocated the restaurant to a vast, 12,000 square foot space last year, but he also upgraded the talent surrounding him, too. When it came to pastry, Killen sought out former Trinti pastry chef Samantha Mendoza. Signature items like carrot cake and croissant bread pudding remain on the menu, but she’s also incorporating new items that showcase Triniti’s concerns for seasonal ingredients and intricate plating.

     

    Best of all, she’s been able to indulge her fascination for chocolate in flavors like blood orange and Grand Marnier dreamsicle (as noted in a recent Chronicle profile). Still only 27, Mendoza seems poised to blossom into a culinary force for years to come.

     

     Ruben Ortega, Caracol/Hugo’s
    Shouldn’t dessert be fun? Ortega earned a place in Houston pastry lore when he introduced “El Coco” at Caracol. Diners use a wooden mallet to break into a chocolate shell and scoop out the coconut cream and coconut ganache inside.

     

    Beyond any individual dessert, the epic spread that ends every Sunday brunch at both Hugo’s and Caracol — churros, hot chocolate, flan, tres leches, and much more — means that the diners who pack both restaurants every Sunday are always saving room for dessert.

    Jillian Bartolome, right, with her Common Bond colleagues and owner Johnny Carrabba.

    Common Bond Johnny Carrabba Brad Wilcox Drew Gimma Jillian Bartolome
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Jillian Bartolome, right, with her Common Bond colleagues and owner Johnny Carrabba.
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    The Best in Texas

    The unequivocal list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas 2016

    Jennifer Chininis
    May 24, 2016 | 11:30 am
    The unequivocal list of the best restaurants and bars in Texas 2016
    Mixtli/Facebook
    San Antonio Restaurant of the Year Mixtli.

    Whether at home or traveling, one question we Texans always want answered is where to eat. Our annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards provides plenty of answers. The program started in Austin in 2012, as a way to honor the top talent in the restaurant and bar communities, and has since expanded to include every city we serve: Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

     

    What makes Tastemakers unique is that we not only rely on the intelligence of our staff and contributors on the ground in those cities to help identify the nominees, but we also enlist industry experts to offer advice and, ultimately, decide who wins — except in the category of Best New Restaurant, which is determined by our readers.

     

    The Tastemaker Awards, the largest and most comprehensive culinary tribute of its kind, truly represents the best restaurants, chefs, bars, and bartenders in the state, those who innovate and inspire not only local diners, but also their peers. The 2016 winners represent the best in Texas dining right now.

     

    Below we have listed those who took home prizes in myriad categories, presented during celebratory events May 17-19 in Austin, Houston, and Dallas. If you are hungry to read more about the people and places mentioned here, click on the city name to read why they deserve the Tastemaker title.

     

     AUSTIN

     
       
    •  Restaurant of the Year: Dai Due
    •  
    •  Chef of the Year: Michael Fojtasek and Grae Nonas, Olamaie
    •  
    •  Rising Star Chef of the Year: Nicholas Yanes, Juniper
    •  
    •  Pastry Chef of the Year: Janina O'Leary
    •  
    •  Bar of the Year: The Townsend
    •  
    •  Bartender of the Year: Justin Elliott, The Townsend
    •  
    •  Brewery of the Year: Jester King
    •  
    •  Sommelier of the Year: June Rodil, McGuire Moorman Hospitality
    •  
    •  Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Evangeline Cafe
    •  
    •  Best New Restaurant: Oasthouse Kitchen + Bar
    •  
     

     DALLAS

     
       
    •  Restaurant of the Year: Tei-An
    •  
    •  Chef of the Year: John Tesar, Knife
    •  
    •  Rising Star Chef of the Year: Kirstyn Brewer, Victor Tangos
    •  
    •  Pastry Chef of the Year (tie): Marlene Duke, The Theodore, and Alison Morse, Front Room Tavern
    •  
    •  Bar of the Year: Midnight Rambler
    •  
    •  Bartender of the Year: Kyle Hilla, The Theodore
    •  
    •  Brewery of the Year: On Rotation
    •  
    •  Sommelier of the Year: Jeff Gregory, FT33
    •  
    •  Best Sushi Restaurant: Tei Tei Robata Bar
    •  
    •  Best New Restaurant: Resident Taqueria
    •  
     

     FORT WORTH

     
       
    •  Restaurant of the Year: Revolver Taco Lounge
    •  
    •  Chef of the Year: Tim Love, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Love Shack, Woodshed Smokehouse
    •  
    •  Best New Restaurant: The Dive Oyster Bar
    •  
     

     HOUSTON

     
       
    •  Restaurant of the Year: Pax Americana
    •  
    •  Chef of the Year: Adam Dorris, Pax Americana
    •  
    •  Rising Star Chef of the Year: Graham Laborde, Bernadine's
    •  
    •  Pastry Chef of the Year: Rebecca Masson, Fluff Bake Bar
    •  
    •  Bar of the Year: Public Services Wine & Whisky
    •  
    •  Bartender of the Year: Terry Williams, Anvil Bar & Refuge
    •  
    •  Brewery of the Year: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
    •  
    •  Sommelier of the Year: Evan Turner, Helen Greek Food & Wine
    •  
    •  Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Weights + Measures
    •  
    •  Best New Restaurant: State of Grace
    •  
     

     SAN ANTONIO

     
       
    •  Restaurant of the Year: Mixtli
    •  
    •  Chef of the Year: Jason Dady, Tre Trattoria and Shuck Shack
    •  
    •  Best New Restaurant: Mezcaleria Mixtli
    •  

    San Antonio Restaurant of the Year Mixtli.

    Mixtli
      
    Mixtli/Facebook
    San Antonio Restaurant of the Year Mixtli.
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