Meeting News - March 24, 2008 - (Page 8)

Chef Talk Pastry competitions sweeten the deal with dessert chef By Rayna Katz In this ﬁfth installment of Chef Talk, MeetingNews found its happiest interview subject yet. All of the previously proﬁled chefs unabashedly enjoy their work, but there’s an extra spring in our latest culinary wizard’s step. That shouldn’t come as a surprise because he is a pastry chef. Who wouldn’t be happy surrounded by chocolate and sugar all day? Clearly, David Ramirez, executive pastry chef at Rosen Shingle Creek, in Orlando, gets delight from concocting desserts, but he’s taken his work beyond his day job by competing in national pastry tournaments time and again. Recently, Ramirez’ career as a culinary competitor got even sweeter: He’s been tapped—for the ﬁrst time—to participate in an international event. He took a break from spinning sugar to talk with MN. and asks for something elaborate, these kinds of events make it easier for us to fulﬁll requests. Q A As team captain, have you learned anything about preparing a group for an event that helps you relate to what meeting planners go through? ation had an event around the time of Valentine’s Day, so doing something with a heart was obvious, but I wanted to do something more elaborate. We did a white chocolate heart airbrushed in red chocolate, with several elements like chocolate-dipped strawberries and chocolate roses. Q A You have been tapped to be the captain of Team USA in the prestigious World Pastry Cup. How will this inspire the creations you make for groups at Rosen Shingle Creek? It’s huge for clients because, in competition, we push the limits. So, when someone comes in Ramirez ﬁnishes off a towering sugar creation. Meeting planners’ jobs are Do you consult with difﬁcult because they have to meeting and incentive juggle so much, in addition to David Ramirez planners prior to their profood and beverage. Hopefully, I Executive Pastry Chef grams at Rosen Shingle take some of the pressure off Rosen Shingle Creek Creek? them. If anything, what I do for If they need something clients is take away the scare of the speciﬁc, sure. Sometimes, unexpected and then give them something they the hotel brings me people who are on the fence never dreamed was possible. about booking the hotel, and I’ll let them know that To get ready for the World Pastry Cup, I can do something that they never thought they which takes place next January, you are could have in chocolate or sugar. away at practice for one weekend every month For example, I was working on a competition with this year. How are you dealing with that as far as a history theme, and then shortly afterward, a group the work that needs to be done at the hotel? came in with that same theme. So, I had the six-foot centerpiece I’d created the day before with an AmerThe guys in the kitchen all know the situation, ican history theme, and I added the group’s logo. and they are really stepping up. They don’t For DSW [the discount shoe retailer], the planwant to disappoint me. [Ramirez supervises three ner wasn’t sure if the hotel was the right place for assistant pastry chefs and about 20 other employ- the group, so I made chocolate shoes, and we got ees.] It’s my wife who’s having problems with it! the booking. In other words, the shoe ﬁt. Q A Q A Q A You have appeared on the Food Network. What were those appearances for, and what did you learn from them? They’ve all been domestic pastry competitions, since 2004. Those experiences taught me to be creative. They pushed me to limits to which I’d never been pushed, which makes the day-to-day a lot easier because I can come up with better ideas. Knowing the theme of the event helps me; it sends me in the right direction, and I can really run with it. Also, if a client can tell me something they liked in the past—or more importantly, didn’t like—that’s informative. Hearing what they’ve seen before and been impressed by is good too. Q A Q A What can planners tell or ask you that would be useful? Q A 8 MeetingNews March 24, 2008 You often create special treats for various organizations. Can you share examples of what you’ve done and what’s in your arsenal? If you can think of it, I can make it, and I can probably make it better. A heart-related associ- What’s your favorite dessert? I have to say a warm chocolate chip cookie. You can’t go wrong with that. r Contact Rayna Katz at rayna.katz@nielsen.com www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - March 24, 2008

Meeting News - March 24, 2008
Contents
What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com
Chef Talk: Rosen Shingle Creek’s David Ramirez
Convention Centers
MN Webcast Report
Successful Meetings University
Advertisers Index
Live from the Forum

Meeting News - March 24, 2008