2013 might have been the year of the Cronut, but 2017 is shaping up to be the year of its creator.
Chef Dominique Ansel was awarded the title of World’s Best Pastry Chef 2017 today as part of the World’s Best 50 Restaurants awards. In doing so, he becomes only the fourth pastry chef to receive the award, following in the footsteps of Jordi Roca, Albert Adria, and Pierre Hermé. Additionally, Ansel is both the youngest and the only US-based chef to ever take home the award.
While Ansel’s first New York City bakery only opened five years ago, his notoriety continues to build as he keeps introducing more incredible pastry creations, which began with the Cronut in 2013. Ansel has no plans of slowing down and his growing number of pastry marvels shows it, including the Frozen S’more and his new Zero Gravity Chiffon Cake.
Ansel’s growing global empire already includes locations in New York City, London and Tokyo, where he just recently opened a second location. The new location offers a number of unique pastries exclusive to the Tokyo shop, including soba croissants, matcha babka, and custom DKAs made with Kokuto black sugar from Okinawa.
Ansel is also opening a full-fledged restaurant in Los Angeles later this year where he will aim to connect with guests through a full-meal experience the same he does already with pastry. When asked about developing a full menu for the new restaurant, Ansel explained that he’s eagerly seeking out inspiration, regardless of where it comes from. “It’s not about a certain type of cuisine or the stereotype of putting yourself in a category,” he says. “It’s more about thinking out of the box and seeing what’s out there around the world and having a connection with the guest.”