Interview: pastry chef Danielle Keene (Bittersweet Treats)

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Pastry Chef Los Angeles

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What’s the criteria for a Bittersweet Treats dessert?

It’s definitely simple, it’s fun. I always like to say, it’s a modern take on old-fashioned favorites – so it’s things you remember or your familiar with. So it’s not like – what’s that crazy thing? – but with maybe a different flavor combination, or it’s just funny sometimes. Just using better ingredients elevates something that’s an old standard, but it just tastes so much better. So that’s always my goal, to take things that people are familiar, but just make it taste really, really good. Just using good ingredients, of course, and seasonal and all that. Even with cake, people are like, “I hate cake, but this so good. It’s not too sweet.” That’s the thing, there are so many desserts that are so sweet, and it’s not an intentional thing, I don’t just cut out sugar just for fun, but I try to reduce it as much as I can. Of course it has elements, you can’t completely remove sugar, it has properties, so that you know, people don’t feel bad or guilty, or that they can only have it on a holiday or birthday, that it’s something fun and delicious and approachable.

How is that different from what goes into the case at L.A. Creamery?

They’re just ice cream. They have a couple cookies and stuff for sandwiches or sundaes. It’s definitely also the same stuff that I do, and the same flavors and recipes, but they’re basically just toppings, ice cream and cookies.

What’s the latest pastry, ice cream or dessert that you created [for Bittersweet], and what was your approach?

I did this one cupcake that was chocolate and it has a caramel filling, peanut butter frosting with peanuts up top. My friend, who I’ve known since Kindergarten, has always hated chocolate, but she’s pregnant right now, so she’s like, “Make me something chocolate and salty,” so I made that for her and just had it at the baby shower. The crowd loved it. It’s fun to create things for friends. It was something I’d never in a million years think that she’d like, but it’s fun to have inspiration from people you know.

Would you say that you have any pastry mentors?

Oh yeah. When I worked at Campanile, I should have paid them to be there. Anything up until then – and that’s why I’m not a big school person – I just learned so much when I was there. That would be Nancy [Silverton], and I worked with Kim Boyce too. I’d take things out of the oven, and they’d just be like, “No, it needs to be in there for 10 more minutes, because color equals flavor.” There were so many things like that. It totally changed my palate. Things were way less sweet than I was used to. I was like, “Yeah, you don’t need that much sugar.” Just the produce, and it would just be so simple. There would just be two components on the plate. And that’s all you need. You don’t need things dangling off, or foamy things. That really shaped my thoughts on pastry, the simplicity of it, but just also the flavors. It just tasted totally different than I was used to. Just the range of things we did too. I remember one time Kim just ripped open this tart and ate it with the components. Just to be able, when you compose a dish, to not just say, on this tastes good, but to taste everything together, it was just completely different than anyplace ever.

Who are some other pastry chefs that you really respect, who you haven’t worked with, and how come?

Claudia Fleming, her book, it was so crazy, she was one of the sous chefs for the finale for Top Chef, and I remember just sitting there being like – [shocked look] – it is like seeing Leonardo DiCaprio, who is like my favorite actor. Her book, even now, I’ll look back and I’ll be like, “I don’t remember this.” It’s on that same realm of just being so simple, and that book is like 15 years old, and I don’t want to say timeless, but just her style and simplicity, and the flavors. I love that book.

I love Martha Stewart, and I love Martha Stewart because – my mom’s like, “You know it’s not just her?” I know. It’s because she and what is so important for businesses, is that she has hired good people and people that can keep her brand. Everything you see, like, that’s Martha. Her books, she has the cupcake and cookie, and now the pie book. I’m like, “Oh, she’d never make that,” and then I’m like, “Oh yeah, that’s totally her style.” The pictures and everything, I love Martha. She’s not necessarily a pastry chef, but she’s a genius.

Do you have any favorite outdoor activities?

Oh yeah. Especially when you’re in the kitchen all day. I love taking walks. That’s my favorite thing. I like to ride my bike a lot too. I just like to be able to get out in the air, but mostly walks because probably my second favorite thing is music, so I just like to be able to listen to music and just kind of clear out my head. Also, that is a good time. If somebody sends me an idea or a picture for a cake – do you have any ideas? – my time in the kitchen is not my time to be creative and think of stuff like that, so definitely when I’m out on a walk, and it’s 7:30 and the sun’s coming down and I’m listening to my electronic music, Arcade Fire or something, that’s the time for me to clear my head and start thinking of ideas.

Do you listen to music in the kitchen when you’re working?

Always.

What’s been on lately?

Thank god for Pandora. I love Arcade Fire. I love The Temper Trap, I love The xx. Music, I’m not musically inclined at all, but somehow I feel like they go together. It definitely helps motivate me too. I can’t imagine being in the kitchen where it’s quiet. It just kind of helps pick up the pace.

If you could only eat one more dessert, what would it be, and who would make it? It can’t be you.

My favorite flavors are coffee and mint chip. Since coffee is not a dessert, I’d have to say, a gigantic bowl of mint chip ice cream. Does it have to be a pastry chef who makes it?

No.

I’d say my mom. My mom, she was always baking, and definitely has always been my #1 fan. Especially through the course of everything, she has always supported me. From high school to working at different places, and some places didn’t work out, where I was like, “Oh, I don’t like this job,” she wasn’t like, “Stick it out.” She was like, “Find something else that makes you happy.” She’s always been so supportive, and I think it would almost be like full circle.

Do you have a recipe you can share with Food GPS readers?

CLICK HERE TO FIND KEENE’S RECIPE FOR THE BARREO

Bittersweet Treats, 323 308 8700

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Blog Comments

I really like your post. Thanks a lot for giving interesting views about pastry chefs styles. I also work in pastry restaurant as a pastry designer and really enjoying my work right now. My kids always like my creations.

[…] Pastry Chef Posters by Stephanie Marrott at AllPosters. Pastry Chef | nomedics MEET THE PASTRY CHEF: Patrick Davis, Fox Restaurant Concepts … Food GPS » Q&A with pastry chef Danielle Keene of Bittersweet …Description : Select an Article, Q&A with Floyd Cardoz, Top Chef Master, Season 3, Q&A with pastry chef Danielle Keene of Bittersweet Treats: A Modern Take on Old-Fashioned Favorites, Q&A with pastry chef Waylynn Lucas (fōnuts) …http://www.foodgps.com/qa-with .. […]

its a dream to start my own bakery! how wonderful she could do it….

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