Brett Anderson Names '5 Pastry Chefs to Watch'

Is the practice of employing full-time pastry chefs one of those things that gets to New Orleans years after everywhere else? That's maybe a little unfair?places like Stella! and Restaurant August have long focused on desserts with full-time pastry chefs?but there's probably a little truth to it. After all, New Orleans restaurants are known for desserts like bread pudding that simply don't need a pastry chef. But more and more restaurants are adding full-time pastry chefs, getting more innovative and more exciting with their desserts.

In Sunday's paper, Brett Anderson named "5 pastry chefs to watch," picking chefs who are helping established restaurants redefine their sweet offerings. As Coquette's Michael Stoltzfus tells Anderson, these chefs are helping them "stay relevant." Here's his picks:

· Brett Gauthier, corporate pastry chef for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
· Zak Miller, pastry chef at Coquette
· Joanna Palmer, pastry chef at Rue 127
· Lisa White, pastry chef at Domenica
· Bronwen Wyatt, pastry chef at La Petite Grocery

So that's that, people. These are the pastry chefs to watch. Watch them closely.

· Pastry Chefs Adding Luscious Layers to New Orleans Dining Experience [TP]

[Photo: yelp / Scott W.]