En-Ming HsuNobel Conference 61
En-Ming Hsu
Gold Medalist, Pastry World Cup
Sugar in the Hands of the Modern Pastry Chef
When we think about sugar, we often think of sweet treats like candies, cookies, and cakes. If you enjoy baking, you might have even searched for a butter cake recipe and encountered one of En-Ming Hsu’s recipes. For Hsu, sugar is not just an ingredient. It is an art medium. Whether shaped into showpieces or baked into pastries, sugar is at the core of everything she creates.
En-Ming Hsu credits the design and presentation of her desserts to her training in studio arts at Skidmore College. She later pursued formal training in pastry at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She then used her skills and creativity at some of the most renowned hotels and restaurants in America, including The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, where she held the position of Executive Pastry Chef.
Today, Hsu continues to use sugar to create desserts that people all over the world can enjoy, often drawing inspiration for her creations at local farmers' markets. As a pastry consultant, she creates recipes for pastry product manufacturers. During the pandemic, she partnered with her sister, Yih-Ming, to launch Sip!, a company offering a nutrient-rich chocolate drink mix.
In addition to consulting and running a business, En-Ming also shares her expertise as a guest chef at culinary educational institutions including the King Arthur Baking Education Center and The French Pastry School. She also has served as a jury member for competitions like the World Pastry Team Championship, where she evaluates the creativity and technical skills of others using sugar.
En-Ming’s skills earned her several awards, including the Amoretti World Pastry Team Championship “Pastry Chef of the Year” award in 2010, one of the highest honors in the pastry world. She was team captain of the first and only US pastry team to capture the gold medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (Pastry World Cup) in Lyon, France. Her work has been published leading baking and pastry magazines, as well as several recent books on baking and pastry.
En-Ming has transformed what most people think of as a simple ingredient into a form of art. From stunning sugar showpieces to classic European and American pastries, and now to luxurious chocolate mixes, she continues to redefine what is possible with sugar.
En-Ming Hsu is the co-creator of Sip! She holds a BA in studio art from Skidmore College.
Her talk: If we trace sugar back to colonial times, we see the beginnings of an industry that stealthily wove its way into our daily lives until it grew to permeate nearly every aspect of our diet. Is there no going back? Pastry chefs have the choice to continue feeding the cravings or influence a change in attitude, one that is deeply rooted in our culture. Let’s dive into the pastry chef’s role and view how chefs understand and work with sugar. Sugar is at the core of what pastry chefs do; we manipulate sugar to create stunning works of visual art and edible treats that provide comfort, happiness, and a sense of community. Modern pastry chefs recognize cultural shifts and more are focusing on health-conscious consumers. Psychological and physiological adjustments can be made to gradually rewire our brains to enjoy sweets with less detriment to our bodies.