MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“The Sweet Toast of New York” ( and Rio...and Sao Paulo...and Tokyo)

Chefs Philippe Bertineau & François Payard

This month, Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro celebrated their 10th Anniversary with a “tasty” party of New York's “A List” guests. It is not surprising that this wonderful French pâtisserie and bistro still is, after 10 years, unique and the preferred destination for all of those who have not only a sweet tooth, but also a discerning palate.

Stepping through the grand mahogany doors, you find yourself surrounded by inviting glass cases where the creations of François Payard are on display, from his renowned chocolates to his mouthwatering desserts and unusual ice cream flavors. This is a place where you can drop by to have a cup of coffee or a special brew of tea, enjoy a croissant or be dazzled by the pastry decorations. A place like no other in Manhattan, where time seems to stay still for you to savor every bite. Take another step and you will be in the Bistro's dining room where Executive Chef Philippe Bertineau will awake your taste buds with his seasonal cuisine prepared with the freshest, personally hand-picked ingredients from local markets. These two talented chefs will make your visit to Payardunforgettable. Their friendship and collaboration started in 1993, (when both were working at Daniel), and has grown with the creation of Payard Pâtisserie & Bistroin 1997. This glamorous tribute to Paris, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side at 1032 Lexington Avenue, has since become one of Manhattan's finest culinary destinations. Inspired by Europe's grandest cafes the pâtisserie and bistro are ideal for intimate breakfast meetings, lunches, dinner parties and large scale events. François Payard, Pâtissier ExtraordinaireFrançois Payard is a third generation French Pastry Chef born in Nice, France. François cultivated his passion for the art of pastry as a child in his grandfather's acclaimed shop, Au Nid des Friandiseson the Riviera. He grew up surrounded by the delicious classic French pastry in the tradition carried on by his parents and grandparents for over fifty years. In 1988 Payard held his first position as Pastry Chef in Paris at the Three Star Michelin restaurant, La Tour d'Argent. The following year he went on to become Pastry Chef in the kitchen of Alain Senderens at Lucas Carton(also a Three Star Michelin restaurant). In these renowned restaurants he met the challenge of creating dessert menus worthy of the Three Star Michelin rating. François' desire to travel and discover a new culture brought him to New York in 1990. His first position in New York as Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin (Four Star NY Times) challenged him to create a new dessert repertoire and made him popular for his beautifully presented creations, bursting with delicate flavors and taste. In 1993 François Payard joined Chef Daniel Boulud for the opening of Restaurant Daniel(Four Star NY Times) where he delighted guests with his chocolate and seasonal fruit menus. In 1995 The James Beard Association named François "Pastry Chef of the Year" in recognition of his accent on flavor combined with a unique sense of pastry design. In August of 1997 François' childhood dream of opening his own pâtisserie and bistro became a reality. Since Payard'sconception, François has continued to strive to innovate, perfect, educate, and contribute his ideas and passion to the field of pastry. In 1998 he was acknowledged for this by being awarded "Pastry Chef of the Year" by the Bon Appétit Food & Entertainment Awards, and again in 2001 by the International Pastry Competition Committee-Beaver Creek. In July of 2004 François was honored with the prestigious Ordre du Mérite Agricole, Medal of Honor by the French Government. And most recently, he received Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence 2005 for having one of the most outstanding wine lists in the world, as well as being selected by Relais Desserts 2006-2007 as one of 85 of the Best Pastry Chefs in the World. When MercoPress asked François if he ever considered another career, he replied that he once thought of becoming a motorcycle mechanic! Now Payard'sguests understand why there is often a sleek motor cycle parked outside the restaurant! François is the author of the popular cookbooks "Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining" and "Simply Sensational Desserts." He has also opened branches of Payard Pâtisseriein Sao Paulo, Rio, and Tokyo. Philippe Bertineau, Executive Chef: An understatement!Philippe Bertineau's passion for cooking began as a child. Raised on his family's farm in the Poitou Charentes region of central western France, he worked with the natural rhythm of the harvest to incorporate the freshest herbs and vegetables into his cooking. During his first visit to Paris in his early teens, Philippe was so fascinated and inspired by "the lights and magic of the city and its restaurants" that he became determined to be a chef and not follow in the family tradition of farming, or his other passion, photography. Philippe's six years of professional culinary study included numerous apprenticeships in the kitchens of Middle – Western Bordeaux, Southwestern France, and the Basque region of France, including the prestigious kitchen of the Hotel du Palaisin Biarritz. Early on he developed a repertoire of southwestern specialties apparent today in his delicious foie gras and duck preparations. His first travels took him to London where he spent a year at the Auberge de Provence (a restaurant affiliated with the Three Star Michelin, L'Oustau de Baumaniere). Philippe then returned to France where he spent another year in the kitchen of Restaurant Vanel, (Two Star Michelin), in Toulouse. Moving to New York, Philippe worked as a Sous Chef for Park Bistro, specializing in Provençal cuisine. In 1993, he joined Daniel Boulud for the opening of Restaurant Daniel (Four Star NY Times) where he helped to maintain the status of this award-winning restaurant. He remained Sous Chef there from 1993 until August 1997 when he left to take the position of Executive Chef at Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro. In 1998 he was awarded the White Truffle award by the Italian Consulate in New York, and Best Unsung Chef in New York Magazine's 2001 'Best of New York' issue. In March 2005 New York Magazine named his ingredient-driven tasting menu the "Best Affordable Tasting Menu." The delights of Payard, ( www.payard.com), can be enjoyed, not only in New York, Rio, Sao Paulo, and Tokyo, but soon in Las Vegas (November, 2007) and Seoul Korea (January, 2008). By David Michaels reporting from New York

Categories: Tourism, Mercosur.

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