Root Scoops New Pastry Chef

Todd Price reports that former Stella! pastry chef Blake Abene has started working with Phillip Lopez at both Root and Square Root. Originally from Hammond, Abene worked at Jean-George and Corton in New York before heading back south to work a Stella last December. After the abrupt closing of Scott Boswell's French Quarter restaurant, Abene sent his resume to Lopez (who hired him immediately, telling Price, "I would be a complete, absolute idiot not to bring him on board,") and took an extended summer vacation to visualize his plans for Root, Square Root, and Root Squared.

Abene is conceptualizing a selection of meal ending mignardises for Square Root's multi-course prix fixe, as well as handing the bread baking, He's particularly excited to take on the dessert menu at Root, where he says that the increased accessibility to diners of the restaurant will enable him to serve his creations for many more people.

· Root and Square Root hire former Stella pastry chef Blake Abene [NOLA.com]
· All Chef Shuffles [-ENOLA-]
[Photo: Brasted]