In this exclusive interview, we explore how the intricate craftsmanship of silver and goldsmithing shapes the culinary artistry of one celebrated pastry chef. From her approach to plating as a canvas for creativity to her thoughts on balancing indulgence with health in desserts, she reveals the philosophy and passion driving her successful career in pastry art.
Gale Gand Celebrated pastry chef
Chef Gale Gand is a celebrated pastry chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, television personality, and entrepreneur with an illustrious career spanning decades. She has won two James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year, and co-founded the iconic Chicago restaurant Tru, which garnered widespread acclaim.
Chef Gand is a regular at national and international Food and Wine festivals, including the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Aspen Food and Wine Classic, and festivals in San Diego, Pebble Beach, and Hawaii. In 2013, she was a guest chef on a Rhone River Cruise in France, and in 2022, she volunteered with José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen in Poland and Ukraine.
Chef Gand’s artistry extends beyond the kitchen—she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology, with a focus on silver and goldsmithing. A former member of the Gand Family Singers, Gale grew up performing alongside her late father and brother. She now resides in Riverwoods, Illinois, with her husband, Jimmy, and their children, Gio, Ella, and Ruby. Fun fact: Gale once made a Peach Cobbler for Aretha Franklin!
An accomplished author with eight cookbooks, she is also the creator of Gale’s Root Beer, a craft beverage enjoyed nationwide. Beyond her culinary achievements, Gale teaches classes at Elawa Farm, sharing her passion for food with the community, and remains a beloved figure in the culinary world.
In your culinary journey, how have your early experiences in silver and goldsmithing influenced your approach to pastry art?
I think my art and design background and training helped me approach the plate differently than most chefs. I consider the plate my canvas and then compose a dish considering line, shape, shading, where your eye is led, contrast in color and texture, etc. Also, coming from 3 dimensional fine arts helps me appreciate the fleeting nature of food over artistic items that never go away.
You’ve earned multiple awards and accolades throughout your career. How do you define success in the culinary world, and has that definition evolved over time?
I think I define success as a combination of accolades and awards one receive from your peers and industry judges, like journalist, combined with how much impact your work has on others, plus how satisfied/happy you are in your work. By those standards I believe I has a successful career. I think I’ve always felt that way.
With the increasing focus on health and nutrition, how do you balance indulgence with dietary considerations in your desserts?
My desserts tend to be a bit petit so I don’t really push too much indulgence, though dessert seems to be a way people celebrate so I am often a part of that celebration.
Can you discuss the importance of seasonality and local sourcing in your cooking, particularly in your classes at Elawa Farm?
I source locally and seasonally when it makes sense but as a pastry chef some of my main ingredients like chocolate and vanilla are from very far away places. The company making the extract is local for me but where they source the bean from is not and I’m OK with that. I think my savory cooking much more relies on local and seasonal ingredients, but my desserts…not so much.
You’ve taught at various prestigious culinary institutions. What do you believe is the most crucial lesson for aspiring chefs to learn?
I think the most important thing is to notice what you are drawn to. If you acknowledge that and focus on it you have a better change of sustaining your learning and career. developing a career takes time and repetition so it’s important to stick with an interest in order to gain some expertise in it. Also, read, eat, and taste a lot. See what you like and think about others work. And always where comfortable shoes!
Your involvement in charitable initiatives, like Chefs Move to Schools, showcases a commitment to community. How do you see the role of chefs evolving in addressing social issues related to food?
Eating is a fundamental requirement to survive so I think chefs roles have expanded over the past 2 decades to being more public about advocating for healthy food in places outside of restaurants. I see chefs as an important figure in kids and adults lives, like their gym teacher, music teacher, clergy, or doctor.
I think knowing who plans and prepares your food is important to having a healthy relationship with food. And more and more chefs, including me, are using their cooking skills to prepare food en masse are becoming more common, like at World Central Kitchen which I worked at in Poland in 2022. It helps connect us in a global way which is very important.
As a mentor and educator, what trends in pastry and dessert-making do you find most exciting or promising for the future of the culinary industry?
Making food more honest, less synthetic, using food for healing physically and mentally, and continuing to use it as a way to express creativity, gather, and celebrate.
